Barnegat Bay History

Wampum

Wampum is a small and short tubular shell bead. The beads were strung into strings or woven into belts. Wampum are traditional, sacred shell beads of Eastern Woodlands tribes.
The word “Wampum” comes from the Narragansett word (short for wampumpeag) meaning ‘white shell beads’.

Before contact with European settlers, Wampum was primarily used for ceremonial purposes or for gift exchanges, (Prehistoric Wampum) hence, this was not “Indian Money”.
These shell beads were larger and relatively uncommon because drilling the material was difficult with stone drill bits.
Shell beads were either disk shaped, or barrel shaped, usually made from the whelk’s spiraling inner whorl (columella)

In the early 17th century wampum came to be used as money in trade.
The early Dutch settlers recognized the value of the beads to the natives. They introduced contemporary technology into its production and manufactured Wampum themselves.
The exchange of Wampum became an important part of diplomatic protocol whenever Indians and Europeans concluded a treaty or assembled for other councils.

Wampum beads are made in two colors:

White (“Wòmpi”) beads (“Wompam”) were made from the inner whorl of the Whelk shell (“Meteaûhock”)

Purple-black (“Súki”) beads (“Suckáuhock”) from the growth rings of the Northern Quahog (Hard Clam) shell (“Suckauanaûsuck”).

The quahog shell used to produce purple wampum and other shell pendants is exclusively the species with the Latin name Mercenaria mercenaria.

Fun Facts

The Latin name Mercenaria mercenaria is derived from a word that means wages.
(merces mercedis : pay, reward, recompense, compensation)

The name “quahog” comes from the Indian name “poquauhock,” meaning horse fish

Delaware River
The Europeans first named the river in honor of Sir Thomas West, Lord de la Warr, the first colonial governor of Virginia (not after the Native American tribe)

The picture to the left shows Purple-black (“Súki”) beads and the shell of a quahog with some purple on the inside of the shell.

Also pictured are White (“Wòmpi”) beads and a partial shell of a whelk and an inner whorl of a whelk

This image shows quahog shells and loose beads along with necklaces and belts

Credits
Used with permission from Tara Prindle, nativetech.org
Clam, whelk and wampum image by Stephen Lang Photography

Barnegat Bay Shellfish

www.BBshellfish.org

Barnegat Bay History

Wampum

Wampum is a small and short tubular shell bead. The beads were strung into strings or woven into belts. Wampum are traditional, sacred shell beads of Eastern Woodlands tribes.
The word “Wampum” comes from the Narragansett word (short for wampumpeag) meaning ‘white shell beads’.

Wampum beads are made in two colors:

White (“Wòmpi”) beads (“Wompam”) were made from the inner whorl of the Whelk shell (“Meteaûhock”)

Purple-black (“Súki”) beads (“Suckáuhock”) from the growth rings of the Northern Quahog (Hard Clam) shell (“Suckauanaûsuck”).

The quahog shell used to produce purple wampum and other shell pendants is exclusively the species with the Latin name Mercenaria mercenaria.

Fun Facts

The Latin name Mercenaria mercenaria is derived from a word that means wages.
(merces mercedis : pay, reward, recompense, compensation)

The name “quahog” comes from the Indian name “poquauhock,” meaning horse fish

Delaware River
The Europeans first named the river in honor of Sir Thomas West, Lord de la Warr, the first colonial governor of Virginia (not after the Native American tribe)

The picture to the left shows Purple-black (“Súki”) beads and the shell of a quahog with some purple on the inside of the shell.

Also pictured are White (“Wòmpi”) beads and a partial shell of a whelk and an inner whorl of a whelk

This image shows quahog shells and loose beads along with necklaces and belts

www.BBshellfish.org

Barnegat Bay History

Wampum

Wampum is a small and short tubular shell bead. The beads were strung into strings or woven into belts. Wampum are traditional, sacred shell beads of Eastern Woodlands tribes.The word “Wampum” comes from the Narragansett word (short for wampumpeag) meaning ‘white shell beads’.

Wampum beads are made in two colors:

White (“Wòmpi”) beads (“Wompam”) were made from the inner whorl of the Whelk shell (“Meteaûhock”)

Purple-black (“Súki”) beads (“Suckáuhock”) from the growth rings of the Northern Quahog (Hard Clam) shell (“Suckauanaûsuck”).

The quahog shell used to produce purple wampum and other shell pendants is exclusively the species with the Latin name Mercenaria mercenaria.

Fun Facts

The Latin name Mercenaria mercenaria is derived from a word that means wages. (merces mercedis : pay, reward, recompense, compensation)

The name “quahog” comes from the Indian name “poquauhock,” meaning horse fish

Delaware RiverThe Europeans first named the river in honor of Sir Thomas West, Lord de la Warr, the first colonial governor of Virginia (not after the Native American tribe)

The picture to the left shows Purple-black (“Súki”) beads and the shell of a quahog with some purple on the inside of the shell.

Also pictured are White (“Wòmpi”) beads and a partial shell of a whelk and an inner whorl of a whelk

This image shows quahog shells and loose beads along with necklaces and belts

Wampum is a small and short tubular shell bead. The beads were strung into strings or woven into belts. Wampum are traditional, sacred shell beads of Eastern Woodlands tribes.
The word “Wampum” comes from the Narragansett word (short for wampumpeag) meaning ‘white shell beads’.

The Latin name Mercenaria mercenaria is derived from a word that means wages.
(merces mercedis : pay, reward, recompense, compensation)

Delaware River
The Europeans first named the river in honor of Sir Thomas West, Lord de la Warr, the first colonial governor of Virginia (not after the Native American tribe)