wampum, purple and white; twine, olive green (commercially made, may have originally been black); cloth, linen; ochre; silk gros grain ribbon, chocolate brown.

Six strings of wampum beads. The strands are asymmetrical. Purple wampum predominates, with two strings made entirely of purple wampum, and one strand purple with one white bead. Other strings have white beads interspersed between purple ones. On strings of both purple and white wampum, there are between three and six purple beads mixed in with the white ones. Pieces of ochre-dyed linen are attached to two purple wampum strings and one purple and white string. Silk gros grain ribbon is found on the ends of two purple and white strings, and one purple string. The ribbon and linen pieces are twisted into bud-like forms, some of which contain ochre. Each wampum string is strung on two strands of olive-coloured thread, all of which were braided together at the top. The braid is about an inch long and knotted at the end. Loose fibres extend from the end of the knot.

RP noted that wampum strings were used in ceremonies, including condolence ceremonies, often to signal a commitment or agreement between parties. JM added that they would be held by speakers to give authority or seriousness to what was being said. CW said they could be mnemonic, or carry messages such as an invitation or recruitment.

To hold wampum is to condole, or to bind an agreement. (HB. JM, RP)

The GRASAC team wondered about the significance of the number of strings (six).

Pitt Rivers Museum Object Catalogue.

This item was part of the collection of Sir Edward Burnett Tylor. It was presented to the Pitt Rivers Museum by Lady Tylor in 1917 (Pitt Rivers Museum Accession book entry).

This item was featured in the Museum's audio guide produced for the 'What's Upstairs?' project, funded by the Designation Challenge Fund, 2004-2006.

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).

researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Laura Peers (LP), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).