Plains Indian beaded jewelry<BR> Jewelry has always been an important aspect of Plains dress. Some jewelry had religious connotations, and was regarded as sacred, and sometimes used only in specific ceremonies. However, most jewelry was personal and secular. They frequently included references to world views and social relations, and often expressed communal or individual aesthetic standards. Colors could have symbolic meaning. Among the Lakota red stood for Mother Earth, and blue fort he Heavens.<BR> Beaded jewelry was common throughout the Plains region. The variety and palette of beadwork increased with the proliferation of glass beads imported from Europe after 1700. Beads became smaller over time, with the small seed-beads becoming the standard.<BR> In the postwar period beaded jewelry became an expression of Indian identity, as it allowed such expression in combination with western dress. Intetribal powwows, including the competion of dress and crafts has done much to stimulate the quantitative and qualitative production of beaded jewelry. <BR>