The Society of Bead Researchers is a scholarly association for those studying beads and beadmaking in the context of history, ethnology and archaeology worldwide. The society was founded in 1981[1] by Peter Francis, Jr., director of the Center for Bead Research in Lake Placid, New York,[2] Elizabeth J. Harris and Jamey D. Allen.[3][4]
The Society of Bead Researchers was officially incorporated as a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation in 1999.[3]
The society publishes a scholarly journal, Beads: Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers, which first appeared in 1989.[1] The founding and current editor of Beads is Karlis Karklins, formerly Head of Material Culture Research at Parks Canada.[5][6]
The society also publishes a biannual newsletter, The Bead Forum.[1][7]The Bead Forum was first published in 1982.[8] Its purpose was to enhance communication between isolated researchers and "promote the scientific study of beads".[3]The Bead Forum, particularly prior to the first publication of Beads, has included information on the materials, cultures, geographies, and time periods of beads. A 2009 issue of Beads, "Twenty Years of The Bead Forum", republished a selection of 85 articles on bead research from the newsletter's first twenty years.[7]The Bead Forum newsletter is currently edited by Michele Hoferitza at Utah State University.[9]
The current president of the Society of Bead Researchers is J. Mark Kenoyer of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Secretary/Treasurer is Alice Scherer.[9] Previous presidents include
Peter Francis, Jr. (1982-1986),
Marvin T. Smith (1987-1990),
Jamey D. Allen (1991-1993),
Mary Elizabeth Good (1994-1996),[3][10]
Jeffrey M. Mitchem (1997-2003),[11]Roderick Sprague (2004-2007),[12]
William T. Billeck (2008-2013) and
Stefany Tomalin (2014-2016).[13][14]
^ abcFederal Archeology Report. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Archeological Assistance Division. 1992. p. 34. Retrieved 21 May 2022.