Jewelry: Past and Present

This past Tuesday, I was given the opportunity to explore East Tennessee's past through the University of Tennessee's Frank H. McClung Museum. While the museum holds many different interesting artifacts, I particularly enjoyed researching the history and many uses of seashells. Although shells were used during the Historic period, they are mostly found to be used during the Mississippian and Woodland Periods (500-2000 BC). Having jewelry made of shells during this time frame was a great luxury; it ultimately showed power and wealth among the people. Seashells became more available as trading to and from Florida progressed and became more prevalent. I thought one of the most interesting parts of their jewelry making process was the steps taken to produce the intricate design on each "bead". While jewelry today can be very beautiful, this kind of craftsmanship is unfortunately not seen very often in today's society.