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.

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...

The very first woven wampum most likely incorporated single beads strung onto twine while finger-weaving sashes, garters, burden-straps or other bands. The belt weaving technique known as 'double-strand square weave appears earlier (late 1500's and early 1600's) than the 'single-strand square weave' technique.

Because of the effort that is needed to make a bead, wampum is highly valued. The shell is thought of as a living record of the Haudenosaunee. The speaker puts the words of the agreement into the wampum as the strings or belts are woven together.

'Wampum' is a contraction for the Algonquian word 'wampumpeage' (phonetically pronounced 'wom pom pe ak') or 'white shell beads.' Historical wampum is small (1/8 inch to wide), usually cylindrical, white and purple beads, hand-polished, drilled, …

Oct 15, 2024 · One of the primary uses of wampum beads was as a form of record-keeping. The Haudenosaunee, in particular, used wampum belts—long strips of woven wampum beads arranged in specific patterns—as mnemonic devices to record important treaties, laws, and historical events.

Wampum is a string of shell beads often woven into belts and formerly used for ceremonial and treaty purposes by some American indigenous people. A contraction of the Algonquian word "wampumpeage" (wom-pom-pe-ak) or "white shell beads," wampum beads were made from the North Atlantic channeled whelk (Busycotypus canaliculatus) shell.

Little known, the Wampum is one of the most important items of the Cherokee people. Beads were used in holding and delivering a message. Belts, woven out of Wampum beads, tell about duties and responsibilities in life, or capture the agreement of a meeting or council.

Apr 8, 2021 · Wampum are shell beads strung together by American Indians to create images and patterns on accessories such as headbands and belts that can also be used as currency for trading.

When woven into a belt, wampum was used to represent the treaty or agreement made between nations. The speaker puts the words of the agreement into the wampum as the strings or belts are woven together.