Bead exchange among the historic Kumeyaay Indians
The focus of my research is to describe, analyze, and explain the unusual spike in the number of shell and glass beads at selected Kumeyaay sites in San Diego County during the Historic Period. The reasons for this apparent increase in bead use are problematic, but one explanation is the profound impact of Spanish colonial presence on Native populations and the resultant sociocultural transformations made by indigenous groups. I demonstrate that the demographic disruption ensuing from the Spanish incursion led to a revitalization movement which dispersed from the greater Los Angeles area to the inland areas of southern California. Called the Chingichngish cult, the new religion melded traditional ceremonial life with a new set of rituals. This new ceremonialism was infused with the intensive use of beads, and it is likely that this created the exponential appearance of larger numbers of Class H beads at numerous inland historic sites in the region. Using archaeological and historical data, I show that the beads analyzed in the various collections were tied to various exchange networks which operated over extant trails and travel corridors and that Class H shell beads were inextricably tied to the new religion.
Kirkish, Alexander Neal
Bead exchange among the historic Kumeyaay Indians. The focus of my research is to describe, analyze, and explain the unusual spike in the number of shell and glass beads at selected Kumeyaay sites in San Diego County during the Historic Period. The reasons for this apparent increase in bead use are problematic, but one explanation is the profound impact of Spanish colonial presence on Native populations and the resultant sociocultural transformations made by indigenous groups. I demonstrate that the demographic disruption ensuing from the Spanish incursion led to a revitalization movement which dispersed from the greater Los Angeles area to the inland areas of southern California. Called the Chingichngish cult, the new religion melded traditional ceremonial life with a new set of rituals. This new ceremonialism was infused with the intensive use of beads, and it is likely that this created the exponential appearance of larger numbers of Class H beads at numerous inland historic sites in the region. Using archaeological and historical data, I show that the beads analyzed in the various collections were tied to various exchange networks which operated over extant trails and travel corridors and that Class H shell beads were inextricably tied to the new religion.
bead exchange among historic indians focus describe analyze explain unusual number shell glass_bead select sit county historic_period reason apparent increase bead use problematic explanation profound_impact spanish colonial presence native_population resultant sociocultural transformation make indigenous group demographic disruption ensue spanish incursion lead revitalization movement disperse great los_angeles area inland area southern california called cult new_religion traditional ceremonial life new set ritual new infuse intensive use bead likely create appearance large_number class bead numerous inland historic sit region using archaeological_historical data_show bead analyze various collection tie various exchange_network operate extant trail travel corridor class shell bead inextricably tie new_religion