OHLONE SHELL BEAD ART

The Ohlone people of the San Francisco Bay area crafted shell beads and pendants from abalone, olivella, and clam shells, often in disc shapes, to use as currency and adorn regalia. These iridescent pieces were highly valued and traded far inland. As an inclusive Indigenous Californian heritage art, shell bead-making continues today as a cultural practice, connecting modern Ohlone to their ancestors and highlighting the enduring value of California’s coastal resources.