臺灣南島民族玻璃珠飾品的跨文化分析比較：對於形式、價值與物質性的一些思考

Comparative Analysis of Glass Beads Used among Austronesian Groups in Taiwan: Some Thoughts on Forms, Values and Materiality

在臺灣南島民族的社會生活中，玻璃珠曾經是相當珍貴而且廣受喜愛的物資。由於玻璃珠的體積小容易攜帶，而且光澤亮麗、圓潤、色彩豐富，又可以重新排列變化組合自由運用，因此在許多社會不但是裝飾美化的基本素材，也是重要的交換媒介或價值力量展現的基礎。很早以來，這些五顏六色的珠子就是臺灣原住民喜愛的外來商品，它們在不同時代從不同來源經由不同管道，跨海來到臺灣。不同地區的原住民，運用玻璃珠穿串成項鍊、頭飾、腕飾、腳踝飾、耳飾等，或縫綴在衣服上做為裝飾。除了做為身體裝飾和表現美感之外，有些社群也運用玻璃珠做為價值和地位的象徵，甚至具有傳遞超自然力量的神聖意義。過去人類學研究對臺灣原住民玻璃珠的研究討論，比較偏重玻璃珠來源的追溯，或是強調個別族群、地點或區域的研究。對於不同族群運用玻璃珠偏好模式的綜合分析比較不多，也很少探討玻璃珠做為一種外來物資，進入臺灣原住民社會之後可能的內在化動力。因此，本文綜合各種文獻、標本收藏和影像資料，試圖針對不同區域原住民各族玻璃珠飾品的形式類別，進行初步的綜合分析比較。另一方面，也將嘗試從玻璃珠的物質性和流動性出發，進一步思考文化價值和意義建構與變化的過程。

This paper explores the material features and symbolic value of glass beads in Taiwan. Glass beads had been widely used by many Austronesian indigenous groups from long ago. Since glass-making technology was not developed locally, most glass beads were traded to Taiwan from overseas and introduced into indigenous societies via various sources and paths during different periods. However, many indigenous people collected glass beads and stringed them together to make necklaces, headdresses, bracelets, anklets and earrings, or stitched them on clothes as decorations. Due to some special material features such as their ease of transportation, freedom for combination, shiny gloss, and richness of colors, glass beads operated not only as ornaments, but also as media for exchange, or signs of values and powers.Based on material collections, written records and photographic images, this paper compares and analyzes regional variations of forms, color patterns, symbolic values, wealth status, and sacred powers of glass-beaded objects used in Taiwan. It shows that these variations reflect divergent modes of aesthetic preferences, cultural selections, as well as interactions between cultural groups in different regions. Furthermore, the traces of internalization and transformation of values and meanings of glass beads through times are also examined.