Wampum Belt

Wampum Belt

Wampum Belt

top image
Introduction

This relative, a wampum belt, is long and narrow. It is composed of translucent medium blue, translucent yellow, and matter white glass wampum beads, one single green bead, and boasts vegetable fibre weft and hide warps. Both ends of the belt have a fringe created from the warp. The belt has 8 horizontal rows of beads. With parallel horizontal bars at either end, this relative also includes wide diagonal stripes. The weaving technique is that usually seen in wampum: the weft threads are woven so that they go in and out of the warp, attaching one bead at a time. The horizontal edges are finished with a leather edging technique that wraps around and between each bead. Probably from the Eastern Great Lakes, this relative is believed to have been created between the late 18th century and the early 19th century. Although the origins of this wampum belt is uncertain, it has probable connections to the Anishinaabe, Hodenosaunee/Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and/or Huron-Wendat.

This relative currently resides at the National Museum of Ireland.

 

Name of Maker(s): Unrecorded
Maker role: Artist
Date Made or Date Range: Late 18th or 19th century, 1750-1850
Materials

glass wampum beads in translucent medium blue, translucent yellow, matte white, and one green bead; vegetable fibre weft and hide warps

Motifs and Patterns

parallel horizontal bars at ends, wide diagonal stripes

Current Location: National Museum of Ireland
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1880.2057
Source for Provenance information

GRASAC researcher notes.

GKS Reference Number: 1387
How to Cite this Item

Maker, Name unrecorded. Wampum Belt. GRASAC ID 1387. National Museum of Ireland Collection 1880.2057.

Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Dana Murray on June 30, 2024. It draws on images and information recorded during the GRASAC research trip to the National Museum of Ireland, on July 21, 2010. Participants included Alan Corbiere, Bhnens Corbiere, Crystal Migwans, Nikolaus Stolle, Rachel Hand, Ruth Phillips, assisted by Padraig Clancy.