Wampum is a traditional shell bead of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of Native Americans. It includes white shell beads hand-fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell and white and purple beads made from the quahog or Western North Atlantic hard-shelled clam. In New York, wampum beads have been discovered dating before 1510. [1] .

Our replica belts are made on a loom using glass beads and braided sinew. Our real Wampum belts and Wampum strings are made using real Quahog Shell Wampum beads and all natural stringing material such as deer hide or hemp.

Feb 13, 2022 · A pair of moccasins and a wampum pouch attributed to Mohican Sachem Popewannehah "John" Konkapot, have been returned to the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians by the Berkshire Museum.

Wampum is a vital part of Onondaga and Haudenosaunee culture. Wampum is created from the shell of a clam. The beads are cut from the white and purple parts of the shell. The pieces are rounded, sanded and drilled to make a bead. Because of the effort that is needed to make a bead, wampum is highly valued.

Nov 20, 2024 · For thousands of years, Indigenous people of America’s northeast region have crafted small, cylindrical beads called wampum from purple and white whelk and clam shells. Often woven into...

Wampum belts consist of carefully placed strings of knotted wampum beads, which are made from quahog clam, whelk, or cowrie shells (Muller, 2007; Windatt, 2016a). You can see images of these shells and the beads in the gallery below.

This bag represents a type of pouch - of which there are only a few examples - that was popular for a brief period in the late 18th century. It was collected during the American Revolution by a German mercenary soldier.

Wampum are beads made from various white and purple mollusk shells which were and are still used by various Native nations throughout northeastern North America for ornamental or ceremonial use. Contrary to misconceptions, wampum was not "indian money."

Information about traditional and contemporary Native American beadwork including beaded jewelry, beaded leather crafts, and wampum belts. With links to Indian beading artists from several different tribes.

Replica Wampum Belts, Beads. and traditional Iroquoian arts and crafts Our people greatly value wampum. Wampum beads or strings are used to call a council, seat council members in the correct order, speak at the council, elect a chief, or depose a chief.