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 beadwork is an example of a sillot, restrung by Patis Tesoro, featuring asi and kolngiking agate beads at the centerpiece. It is surrounded by cylindrical black and white beads, napuchaw (barrel-shaped yellow beads), pinipisao (tubular beads with red, black, and white stripes), Prussian blue beads, and rounded red carnelian beads (Jimenez & Sabado, 2017). On one side, a square amber-colored bead spacer aligns the two layers of the necklace.