Materials

Made of 56 purple and white wampum beads, calcined, and a large canine tooth at one end, strung on commercial black twine.

Techniques or Format

The wampum beads and tooth were strung on the thread after collection. On one side of the tooth, its bottom half has been painted what is now a green colour.

Condition: The beads have a chalkly, porous, dull appearance, the result of having been buried, and the tooth has lost some of its enamel.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

The British Museum's object catalogue estimates this item's date of manufacture as between 1600-1830.

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am1938,0311.8

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Mrs. A Corner

Collection Narratives and Histories

This necklace was purchased by the British Museum from Mrs. A Corner in 1938.

GKS Reference Number: 25466

How to Cite this Item

Unknown artist, wampum, strings. Currently in the British Museum, Am1938,0311.8. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 25466.

Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum and British Museum, December 8-22 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), John Borrows (JB), Lindsay Borrows (LB), Alan Corbiere (AC), Henrietta Lidchi (HL), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Bruce Morito (BM), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).