BEADS: Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers

Volume 12 Volume 12-13 (2000-2001) Article 7

1-1-2000

Man-in-the-Moon Beads

Michele Lorenzini

Karlis Karklins

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Repository Citation Lorenzini, Michele and Karklins, Karlis (2000). "Man-in-the-Moon Beads." BEADS: Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers 12: 39-47. Available at: https://surface.syr.edu/beads/vol12/iss1/7

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in BEADS: Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers by an authorized editor of SURFACE. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MAN-IN-THE-MOON BEADS

Michele Lorenzini and Karlis Karklins

The unique and memorable design ofman-in-the-moon beads 2) confirm and possibly tighten existing dates of has intrigued researchers over the years. These distinctive circulation; 3) determine how many different designs beads were identified in the I 960s by George Quimby as be­ were represented in archaeological collections; 4) ing chronologically diagnostic of Middle Historic Period trace the origins of these beads and perhaps determine sites (I 670-1760) in the western Great Lakes region. The the place of manufacture; 5) determine who were the present study more clearly defines both the temporal and principal traders and recipients of these beads; and 6) geographical instances ofman-in-the-moon beads while tak­ ing into account possible cultural and historical implica­ provide insight into the cultural context of these beads, tions. This project has led to the compilation ofinformation both within the traders' and recipients' world. regarding many specimens previously unknown to most re­ searchers. DESCRIPTION

The man-in-the-moon beads are fairly standard in INTRODUCTION size, shape, and color. They are of wound manufacture and tabular in form (disk shaped). The beads were The man-in-the-moon bead is unique among North formed by winding glass around a metal mandrel until American trade beads. Unlike other trade beads which the desired size was achieved. While still in a plastic are adorned with such universal elements as stripes, state, the semi-globular or barrel-shaped beads were dots, and floral designs, these bear decorative pressed flat to impart their distinctive shape. The elements that relate to Old World mythology. The designs were then trailed on the surface. In all man-in-the-moon has been a popular part of European observed cases, care was taken so that the eye of the folklore since at least the Middle Ages and its likeness man-in-the-moon was always left open. Before the has appeared in countless illustrations over the glass hardened, the applied decoration was marvered centuries. In this particular instance, the term or pressed into the surface. "man-in-the-moon" is used to designate a crescent The specimens found on North American sites are moon which has a distinct nose, eye, and mouth. It is uniformly made of a transparent ultramarine (medium not to be confused with other "men-in-the-moon" cobalt blue) glass (Munsell 6.25PB 3/f2). The design which are mentioned in Old World mythology (Jablow is of opaque white glass. Several near-identical and Withers 1969) or with the plain crescent moon specimens discovered in France have amber-colored found on many molded beads exported to the Middle bodies (Opper and Opper 1992:5-6; Fig. 1). The East from Europe. American specimens range from about 15 to 20 mm in In addition to its thought-provoking appearance, length (parallel to the perforation), 16 to 23 mm in the man-in-the-moon bead's relatively short temporal width (perpendicular to the perforation), and 4 to 8 mm span makes it an ideal temporal indicator. in thickness. The single French example which could Consequently, it was decided that the authors would be measured is 15 mm long and 17 mm wide. collaborate in a research project intended to: l) An examination of well over l 00 specimens establish the bead's core geographic distribution area; reveals that there are two basic design varieties:

BEADS 12-13:39-47 (2000-2001) 40

Figure 1. Amber-glass man-in-the-moon bead from a tal­ isman necklace in the Carnac Museum, Morbihan, France (Opper and· Opper 1992:6, Fig. 9).

Variety 1. Side A has the crescent man-in-the­ moon on the left side facing a single star on the right side (Fig. 2, top; Pl. IVB). Side B depicts a star with a tail (a comet) in the center with a star on either side (Pl. IVC). Variety 2. Side A has the crescent man-in-the-moon in the center facing left with a star on either side (Fig. 2, center). Side B has the same basic configuration as the first variety. f* While the Kidds described the beads as having five ..:pointed stars, beads with six-pointed stars seem to Figure 2. Man-in-the-moon bead varieties. Top: Variety predominate (Karklins 1998:pers. obs.; Wray I (Kidd variety WIIIcl); center: Variety 2 (Kidd variety 1983 :46). In ap cases the axis of the perforation was WIIIc3); bottom: obsolete Kidd variety WIIIc2 (drawing: parallel to the long axis of the moon and comet. M. Lorenzini). Variety I corresponds to variety Wiiie I in the Alabama; Port Dauphin, on the coast of Alabama; and taxonomic system developed by Kenneth and Martha Santa Maria de Galve at the wes~ern extremity Kidd (1970:63, 86). They also described another of the Florida panhandle. The remaining 6% were variety, WIIIc2 (Fig. 2, bottom), but this now appears either too poorly described or preserved to determine to be just a sloppier version of Wille I. To minimize their variety. confusion in 30 years of bead literature, we have designated the real Variety 2 as WIIIc3. With regard to archaeological context, taking all 142 beads into consideration, 91 or 64% of the total are from unknown, surface, or disturbed contexts; 51 DISTRIBUTION specimens (36%) are from sound archaeological contexts such as burials, features, or unit levels. Of To date, a total of 142 man-in-the-moon beads those from sound contexts, 44 specimens or 86% are have been found at 24 sites in the eastern United States from burials. Comparing the distribution of the two (Table 1). In terms of geographic distribution, Variety varieties, 80% of Variety 1 (Wille 1) and 77% of I (Wiiie I), which accounts for 111 specimens or 78% Variety 2 (WIIIc3) came from burial contexts. of the total, is present throughout the core area. This Superimposing the find spots onto a geopolitical variety ranges from New York in the east to South map of the 1640-1750 period reveals that the bulk of Dakota in the west and south into central Illinois. the specimens fall within the French sphere of Variety 2 (WIIIc3), which is represented by 22 influence with most of the rest coming from bordering specimens ( 15% of the total), has only been found at lands under the control of the British or Spanish five sites in the United States: Gould Island in (Fig. 3 ). Consequently, it is postulated that the French northeastern Pennsylvania; Old Birch Island Cemetery supplied these beads but did not necessarily produce in western Ontario; Old Mobile near the Gulf Coast in them. It is interesting to note that no man-in-the-moon 41

Table 1. Summary of Site and Specimen Information for Man-in-the-Moon Beads.

NO. FIND SITE STATE/ OCCUPATION PERIOD VARIETY CONTEXT PROVINCE (SPHERE OF INFLUENCE) (QUANTITY) (COLLECTION METHOD) t Huntoon Site New York t7t0-t745 Wiiiet (8) unknown (Wray t983; Martha Sempowski (French) (unknown) t997:pers. comm.; Karklins t998: pers. obs.)

2 Townley Read Site New York t7t0-t745 Wiiiet (t5) t burial (Wray t983; Martha Sempowski (British /French) (collector) t997:pers. comm.; Karklins t998: t4 unknown pers. obs.) (unknown)

3 Sevier Site New York t 715/20-t 745/50 Wiiiet (2) surface (Greg Sohrweide t997:pers. (British/French) (controlled) comm.) 4 Lanz-Hogan Site New York t720-t750 Wiiiet (2) burial (controlled) (Bennett 1982) (British)

5 Van Etten Site New York t720-t750 Wiiiet (1) burial (unknown) (Lisa Anderson 1997:pers. comm.) (British)

6 Knouse Site/Wapwallopen Village Pennsylvania 1740-1760 WIIlcl (15) burial (looted) Site (Kent 1984; John Olandini (British) t997:pers. comm.)

7 Gould Island Site Pennsylvania ?? Wlllc3 (1) unit level (Weed and Wenstrom 1992; (British) (controlled) Stephen Warfel 1997:pers. comm.)

8 Plain City area Ohio pre 1750? Wlllcl (1) surface (unknown) (Converse 1978) (French)

9 Ft. Michilimackinac Michigan 1710-1720 Wlllcl (8) 1 feature (Stone t974; Lorenzini 1997:pers. (French) ( c~ntrolled) obs.) 7 unknown (controlled)

10 Old Birch·Island Cemetery Ontario t750-1760 Wlllc3 (14) burial (controlled) (Greenman t95t; John O'Shea (French) 1997:pers.comm.; Lorenzini t997:pers. obs.)

11 Mahler Site Wisconsin t680-t710 Wiiiet (t) feature (controlled) (Mason and Mason t995; Lorenzini (French) t996:pers. obs.) t2 Bell Site Wisconsin t680-t730 WIIIct (26) surface (controlled (Behm 1993; Lorenzini 1996) (French) & collector)

13 Marina Site Wisconsin 1715-1730 Wiiiet (1) burial (controlled) (Birmingham and Salzer t984) (French) t4 Rock Island Wisconsin t670-t730 Wiiiet (5) 2 mixed (Mason 1986; Lorenzini t996: (French) (controlled) pers.obs.) 3 feature (controlled) 42

Table 1. Continued.

NO. FIND SITE STATE/ OCCUPATION PERIOD VARIETY CONTEXT PROVINCE (SPHERE OF INFLUENCE) (QUANTITY) (COLLECTION METHOD) 15 Lake Koshkonong area Wisconsin ?? WIIIcl (4) surface (collector) (Mike Erickson 1997:pers. comm.; (French) Lorenzini 1996:pers. obs.)

16 Newell Fort Illinois 1711-1720 WIIIcl (19) unknown (collector) (Hall 1991; Floyd Mans berger (French) l 996:pers. comm.; Lorenzini 1997:pers. obs.)

17 Blood Run Iowa 1700-prel 725 ? (8) 1 surface (collector) (Dale Henning 1999:pers. comm.) (French) 7 burial (collector)

18 Crane Lake area Minnesota mid-1730s WIIlcl (1) unknown (collector) (Douglas Birk 1997:pers. comm.) (French) 19 Larson Site South Dakota 1700-1750 WIIIcl (1) unknown (collector) (Bill Billeck 1999:pcrs. comm.) (French)

20 Rosa Site South Dakota ?? ? (1) unknown (Bill Billeck 1999:pers. comm.) (French) (controlled)

21 Skidi Pawnee Village Nebraska 1700-1750 WIIlcl (1) unknown (collector) (Watson 1995; Bill Billeck (French) 1999:pers. comm.)

22 Old Mobile Alabama 1702-1711 WIIIc3 (1) unit level (Waselkov 1991; Greg Waselkov (French) (controlled) 1996:pers. comm.; Lorenzini 1996:pers. obs.)

23 Port Dauphin Alabama 1715-1725 WIIIc3 (2) unit level (George Shorter 1999:pers. comm.) (French) (controlled)

24 Santa Maria de Galve Florida 1698-1718 (French/Spanish) WIIIc3 (4) 3 burial (controlled) (Marie Pokrant 1999:pers. comm.) 1 unit (controlled)

25 Morbihan region France ?? Wiiie* (1+) unknown (unknown) (Opper and Opper 1992) (French) Total Beads: 142 beads have been found in Canada east of the Great Lakes region. The recovered temporal data further Lakes, an area which was dominated by French reveal that the core period for man-in-the-moon beads Catholics during the period under discussion. was between 1700 and 1750 (86% of the dated sites were occupied during this period) with a modal date of 1720. TEMPORAL PLACEMENT

The attribution of the man-in-the-moon beads to CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE the Middle Historic Period (1670-1760) by Quimby (1966) and by Mason (1986) is confirmed by our Because the crescent man-in-the-moon is so findings (Table 1). They also reveal that this date range closely tied to European folklore, what led to this is applicable to the entire eastern United States and the design being placed on beads intended for trade to the adjacent portions of Canada, not just the western Great Indians of North America? Likewise, what 43 \ -----'------~~~ '.,.,---

Man:..in-the-Moon Beads: .& WIIIcl e WIDcJ • Unknown

Areas of European Influence 1640-1750: D French ~Spanish E:J British

Figure 3. The distribution of man-in-the-moon beads in North America (drawing: M. Lorenzini).

significance did they hold for the recipients? Certainly given on special occasions or to selected persons. man-in-the-moon legends do exist among the North Their preponderance in graves also suggests that they American Indians (e.g., the Otoe of Nebraska were revered by their owners. [Anderson 1940:46-52]), and the crescent moon with a . George Conover ( 1889) was one of the first to human face has been noted on Quapaw hides tackle the interpretation of the man-in-the-moon (Lorenzini 2000:pers. obs.) and purportedly in some design. He recounts an observation made by General rock art images as well but their cultural significance John S. Clark that "they were not designed as a remains obscure. That they are relatively scarce Christian symbol or of any significance as connected suggests that the beads may have only been traded or with Jesuit or Roman Catholic missions-simply a 44

found their way to the American Indians, and aside from the probability that their form and design pleased the natives' fancy, it is not likely that they were regarded as of any other value. More recently, Anita Engle (1990: 7 4) has · postulated that the crescent moon is an allegorical representation of with its core of crescent-shaped streets and canals, and that the beads are of Dutch origin. She notes the presence of several styles of man-in-the-moon watermarks on paper produced in several French cities, as well as in 5332 5330 Belgium and Luxembourg, during the latter part of the Bruges 1594 Brussels 1598 (Fig. 4 ), as well as on a silver badge worn by Dutch sailors during the siege of in 1574 (Engle 1990:75, 80-81 ). Agreeing with Bayley (from an unidentified source) "that these symbols formed a means of intercommunication and spiritual encouragement between the mainly artisan communities engaged in the struggle for religious freedom which culminated in the Reformation," Engle ( 1990:76-77) believes that the man-in-the-moon beads "were made for fellow-believers and kindred spirits in America," pointing to "the many heretical sects and Protestant groupings which sought freedom in the New World." Engle (1990:78) concludes that both the watermarks and the beads "represent some significant 6356 5358 event in the struggle for religious freedom on 'the part Vicence 1534 Milan 1565 of this widespread movement of artisans, of varying crafts and differing beliefs, but united in one goal." Figure 4. Watermarks on paper produced in several Euro­ Were the man-in-the:-moon beads produced as symbols pean centers during the 16th century (after Engle of religious oppression or was the design just a flight 1990:81-82). of fancy on the part of some beadmakers who may have seen the watermarks? This we will probably never Venetian polychrome bead, of which many are found know. Based on what we know of the Dutch bead among Indian relics." Conover also details a letter sent industry, however, it is doubtful that the beads were in 1888 by Mr. William Bryant of Buffalo, New York, produced in . No such beads have been while traveling in "Old , [which was] once uncovered in any of the archaeological excavations dominated by the Moors." He includ.ed a sketch made undertaken in Amsterdam and elsewhere in Holland by his daughter of a "tile-mosaic over the portals of one (Karklins 1998:pers. obs.). Furthermore, such of the halls of the Alhambra, Granada, Spain." This decorated beads are more in the realm of the Venetians tile-mosaic is of numerous small stars around what who excelled in this type of work~ All the early wound appears to be a comet with a taiL This is quite similar to beads recovered in Amsterdam are of plain varieties; the "B" side of the man-in-the-moon beads. none have adventitious decoration. Finally, the date of William Orchard (1975:99) had little to add: the beads as suggested by the archaeological evidence postdates most of the activity to which Engle refers. It has been said that in all probability s~ch beads were made by Venetians for trade among the There remains another possibility-that the beads Moors and that the designs have reference to may have been considered to have talismanic Moorish traditions. Few of these beads evidently properties by those who brought them to North 45

sympathy for or allegiance to religiously persecuted French traders. It may simply be that they afforded the wearer a showy display of wealth or power (Pl. IVD).

CONCLUSION

The status of man-in-the-moon beads as distinctive horizon markers for the Middle Historic Period (1670-1760) in eastern North America remains unchanged. The evidence further indicates that they were primarily distributed by the French who are known to have been supplied with beads by the Dutch during the 18th century (Karklins 1983: 113) although the beads themselves were probably made in Venice. Whether the beads held allegorical significance for those who distributed or received them remains uncertain. While Anita Engle presents some very interesting and thought-provoking evidence in support of this, much more documentary research is needed to. validate her hypothesis. Consequently, the mysterious man-in-the-moon beads remain almost as enigmatic as before.

Figure 5. Talisman necklace in the Carnac Museum, Mor­ bihan, France, which incorporates the single amber-glass ACKNOWLEDGMENTS man-in-the-moon bead shown in Fig. I (Opper and Opper 1992:5, Fig. 7). Many thanks to the numerous people who answered inquiries for information and sent reports as America. The few amber-colored specimens found in well as sketches and photographs. A special thanks to northwestern France were part of talisman necklaces John Orlandini of Kingston, Pennsylvania, for composed of various old beads put together by country certainly going "above and beyond the call of duty." folk during the 19th century and earlier (Fig. 5; Opper Thank you also to those persons and institutions which and Opper 1992:5-6). Such necklaces or Gougad­ allowed access to their collections, including Richard p ateraenneu were believed to protect the wearer from Mason, Neenah, Wisconsin; Illinois State Museum, evil spirits and bad luck. It is by no means certain, Springfield, Illinois; Hoard Historical Museum, Ft. however, that individual man-in-the-moon beads were Atkinson, Wisconsin; University of Wisonsin­ believed to have similar properties in the 17th and 18th Oshkosh; Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin; centuries. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; University of In the absence of any historical documentation, it South Alabama-Mobile; Mackinac Island State Park is altogether uncertain how the aboriginal recipients Commission, Lansing, Michigan; and the Rochester viewed man-in-the-moon beads. That they were held in Museum and Science Center, Rochester. We are some esteem is evidenced by their association with so indebted to the Northwest Bead Society of Seattle, many burials over a wide area. There is no way, Washington, for a generous grant which allowed both however, to tell ifthe beads were thought to be imbued authors to visit and photograph the specimens held by with supernatural powers or possibly signified a several individuals and institutions. 46

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