Talk:Trade beads

Name of article
This article should be called by the more general name "trade beads", since they were also often used for non-slavery transactions. 67.188.125.25 20:26, 17 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I tend to agree. I have worked extensively with glass beads and I have never heard them called "slave beads" before, even though I was aware that that they were, at times, used to trade for slaves.  I'm pretty sure they were used as general currency, but I will do a bit of research to make sure. Mutableye 02:56, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

Slave beads
Does anyone know what was actually done with the beads while they weren't being used for transactions?

Say, were they kept in pouches like other forms currencies, or used as a status symbol? Were they used for the decoration of slaves?

This needs to be put in the article. --Pvednes 12:52, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Requested move
Slave beads → — Not universally known as slave beads, trade beads is less loaded. --Chris (クリス • フィッチュ) (talk) 07:57, 14 June 2010 (UTC)
 * Oppose. This is the common name and it is correctly defines how they were used.  History is that, history.  Why change the name to meet some PC agenda?  Also in the Caribbean where they were used, I never heard them called trade beads, only slave beads.  A name like trade beads gets into other uses.  Are these African trade beads or glass trade beads or any other names?  In fact, it may well be possible to write an article about trading beads (beads used in trade or (trade beads)) over time and this is but one example. Vegaswikian (talk) 16:55, 14 June 2010 (UTC)
 * That's just it, it's not the common name in the Americas and the Pacific. Watch who you accuse of an agenda. If not renamed, this should be split, because they are most definitely not "slave beads" in the New World. Read the comments above, this was a problem even four years ago. --Chris (クリス • フィッチュ) (talk) 17:04, 14 June 2010 (UTC)


 * Agree Trade beads is name with much wider geographical use than "slave beads," and used over a much longer period of time (still in use today). "Slave beads" gets 17,700 Google hits; "Trade beads" gets 231,000. -Uyvsdi (talk) 17:30, 14 June 2010 (UTC)Uyvsdi


 * Support - A fast and simple comparison of Google searches shows:
 * Trade Bead = 49,100
 * Slave Bead = 8,460
 * This also reflects my own "real-life" experience; Slave Bead simply isn't used very often, at least not in the contemporary industry. Since Trade Bead is clearly the more common term I support the pagemove. Doc  Tropics  17:33, 14 June 2010 (UTC)
 * Contemporary industry for something from hundreds of years ago? That says we need an article on modern use of the items modeled after the slave beads. As to the hits? How many are for something other then slave beads? Vegaswikian (talk) 17:40, 14 June 2010 (UTC)
 * The beads still exist and are still bought/sold/traded on a daily basis around the world; it is indeed a contemporary industry. As for your second question, I suggest you review the two independent searches provided for you, then practice backpedalling as gracefully as possible : )  Doc   Tropics  17:45, 14 June 2010 (UTC)
 * Yes, there are modern versions. However over time, there are many different and unique types and uses for the beads. A simple search is not going to prove or disprove anything here.  As I said, a general article is needed and several versions should have their own articles.  Vegaswikian (talk) 17:54, 14 June 2010 (UTC)