Native American Wampum Production Pieces

[Eastender]

Eroding from the soil in banks near oceans edge I found a handful of purple quahog shell corners used by Native Americans in wampum bead production. How can I be so sure? They come from an area with cores, microliths, pottery, and stone tools. Early Dutch accounts record wampum-making activity in this area.

The purple region of the hard-shell clam constitutes only about a quarter of the top half of the shell. The purple beads were more desirable and had a much higher value than the white. The purple section was cut away. We still have quahog clams around but not as large as they once were. Quahogs can live for decades. Our scallop populations have severely declined in recent years.

 

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[PetesPockets55]

Thats interesting information.
Congrats.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Eroding from the soil in banks near oceans edge I found a handful of purple quahog shell corners used by Native Americans in wampum bead production. How can I be so sure? They come from an area with cores, microliths, pottery, and stone tools. Early Dutch accounts record wampum-making activity in this area.

The purple region of the hard-shell clam constitutes only about a quarter of the top half of the shell. The purple beads were more desirable and had a much higher value than the white. The purple section was cut away. We still have quahog clams around but lnot as large as they once were. Quahogs can live for decades. Our scallop populations have severely declined in recent years.

Eroding from the soil in banks near oceans edge I found a handful of purple quahog shell corners used by Native Americans in wampum bead production. How can I be so sure? They come from an area with cores, microliths, pottery, and stone tools. Early Dutch accounts record wampum-making activity in this area.

The purple region of the hard-shell clam constitutes only about a quarter of the top half of the shell. The purple beads were more desirable and had a much higher value than the white. The purple section was cut away. We still have quahog clams around but not as large as they once were. Quahogs can live for decades. Our scallop populations have severely declined in recent years.

A very early spill! My mom used to tell me about wampum when beach coming Martha’s Vineyard. Nice finds

 

[UnderMiner]

I was always fascinated by the story of how the Dutch began making wampum at a faster rate than the Native Americans using metal tools, and in just a few decades it had lost nearly all its value due to hyperinflation. Then with the introduction of glass beads from Europe, the wampum economy all but vanished.

 

[ModernMiner]

Eastender,
Very informative post.
Can I ask what that is that you have as your avatar?
I dug a very similar piece many years ago. Same color and material.
Thanks,
MM

 

[Digger RJ]

Eroding from the soil in banks near oceans edge I found a handful of purple quahog shell corners used by Native Americans in wampum bead production. How can I be so sure? They come from an area with cores, microliths, pottery, and stone tools. Early Dutch accounts record wampum-making activity in this area.

The purple region of the hard-shell clam constitutes only about a quarter of the top half of the shell. The purple beads were more desirable and had a much higher value than the white. The purple section was cut away. We still have quahog clams around but not as large as they once were. Quahogs can live for decades. Our scallop populations have severely declined in recent years.

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Eastender]

Eastender,
Very informative post.
Can I ask what that is that you have as your avatar?
I dug a very similar piece many years ago. Same color and material.
Thanks,
MM

It's a red carnelian intaglio. Sometimes they are actually made of glass instead of stone. People often wonder who is on their find, whether it is a stylistically common Roman figure or a representation of a real person. Or whether it is merely jewelry or actually used for wax sealing documents. If you do a search here on TN you can see a collection with comments. I found mine near an early mid-1600s English site. I think it could represent what we're called ball heads of the English revolution. Someone who knows historical hats and hairstyles could probably make a better educated guess. I found mine with a couple of links of fine gold chain so I believe it was on a watch fob.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Very cool !