RESEARCH DATA:

Bead necklaces, or sillot, are traditionally worn by women in Abra. Beads, whether strung into necklaces or kept as individual pieces, are regarded as heirlooms passed down through generations. They also serve as markers of a family’s social status, wealth, and prestige. A sillot is often associated with marriage and holds great value as pangilin or dowry, given by a man to the family of the woman he wishes to marry. To be considered valuable, a sillot should include prized beads such as masilap, dumat, and kolngiking (Jimenez & Sabado, 2017).
This sillot, restrung by Patis Tesoro, features multicolored trade glass beads and black-and-white cylindrical beads, flanked at the centerpiece by banded honey-colored agate beads. The composition showcases a symmetrical arrangement of colors, with multicolored beads distinctly separated from monochrome ones. A divider bead secures the two layers, maintaining its structured design.