May 11th is National Day of the Bead, so let’s talk about the most infamous bead from the East Coast, Wampum!
What was it?
The word “Wampum” actually comes from the Nanhigganeuck (Narragansett) word wampumeag and literally means ‘white shell beads’. Though often thought to be the name of the quahog clam shell, it originially only meant the small disk shaped beads made out of shell. These beads are made in two colors: white, which was the wampumeag or wampum. Sometimes these were made from whelks as well as the white part of the quahog clam shell.
The ones most people think of though, are the purple beads. Traditionally, the name for these beads were sukauhock. They are from the purple growth rings on the inside of the Northern Quahog Clam. Because of the scarcity, the dark purple beads were considered “worth” twice as much as the plain white in trade.
While the use of wampum is most often associated with the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) in the North and the story-telling belts that they made, the use of wampum stretched all the way down to the southern Creek tribes in Alabama.
How Was it Made?
Native people across the east coast, including the Hattorask people of the island here, used a pump drill. It had a copper tip that was infused with silica based sand, which is what we find on the Outer Banks. This technology was not outdone until the invention of the diamond bits used today!
The shell is first hit with a stone to be shattered in smaller chunks. The drill shaft (which you can see in the image here) is taken to the shell and it is spun with the hands to get a pilot divot. Then the drill is used to the full extent. You can speak to staff in the museum to see and example of a pump drill that you can try out yourself!
The hole is worked until light can be seen when holding it to the light, and then the process is repeated from the other side to (hopefully) meet in the center.
After the hole is established, the bead is then taken to a stone with a groove worked into it. Sand is laid in the groove and the bead was ground into shape.
Was it considered money?
Though it’s often simplified to be called money, the truth is a bit more complicated. If you consider what purple that can be used as a bead in nature… you’ll find that you come up a bit short. There’s some purple crystals, but they’re less common than quahog. Indigenous people were also schooled to not dig in the earth just for the sake of pretty shiny things, so those opportunities are even less.
One could dye things purple with flowers and berries. But sunlight would quickly turn gorgeous purple dye into shades of brown. Not to mention one has to harvest during a small window and still make the actual bead on top of it.
Here, we have coastal people with ample access to the clams. They feed the people. They’re a hard, resilient material if uncooked. The purple doesn’t fade in the sunlight. And the people have done the work of making it into beads in order to string and carry them for trade?! You couldn’t get much better than that! So they were a trade item that was in high demand.
However, as is the nature of trade, their worth was fully dependant on the need of those they were trading with. Imagine the Hattorask people trying to take strings of wampum to our northern neighbors, the Pamunkey people. They have the same shell access, make the same beads… do you think they’d want to trade for our beads?
Is it still being used?
Absolutely! One of our staff members, Amber Roth, has made feather pendants that are available inside the museum gift shop!
Shane Rader is coming to the museum in August for an exciting demonstration. He makes his own traditional beads and sets wampum into beautiful rings!
The couple that make up Sea Feathers make jewelry from wampum they get from the Outer Banks and we are lucky enough to hold their work in our Gift Shop as well!
Though it seems to be a less common art that is being taken up, it’s certainly still alive and continuing!
Celebrate wampum with a custom puzzle!
Try this challenging puzzle from our Online Shop that’s all about wampum! The photo was taken by museum staff after cleaning a large collection and needed to lay out in the sun to dry.
A fun challenge for the whole family or test your individual puzzle skills with a scene of just purple and white! Click the image of the puzzle to order it and have it shipped directly to your door!
Safety Note: If you plan on attempting to create out of shell, please research proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) as shell dust is extremely hazardous!
Have you made anything from quahog shells? Have a favorite piece you’ve bought? Want to promote a wampum artist you know? Share it with us! Bring it by or you can share photos and stories on our Friends of the Museum Facebook Group!
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