Beads of wampum shell, animal hide

There is text in the beading of this wampum; it seems to read: VIRGIN IMMAC HVRD D.

Autumn Epple notes that the text on the belt is possibly a reference to the Virgin Mary's immaculate conception of Christ, or the Virgin Mary's purity from her own conception. Both are important Catholic teachings.

MQB catalogue. Autumn Epple theorizes based on style, materials and text design, the object dates between 1750 and 1850.

The ethnographic works from the Bibliothèque Nationale du France collection are located in the Musée du quai Branly in Paris. These ethnographic works were brought together in this collection at the time of the French Revolution, around 1792. Many of these works came from the Jardin du Roi, the collection of the French kings. In 1792, inventories were made of the possessions of aristocratic French families in Paris and the provinces and many objects were selected to be added to the Bibliothèque Nationale, which was the national collection of the new Republic. Ethnographic material from the Bibliothèque Nationale was located at the Musée d'ethnographie du Trocadéro, then the Musée de l’Homme, and is now in the Musée du quai Branly.

Unknown artist, wampum belt. Currently in the Musée du quai Branly, 71.1878.32.155. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip; GRASAC item id 1426.