Shell wampum beads in purple ("black") and white, winter ermine fur, double twisted thread (hemp or linen?)

The belt is composed of 13 rows of beads if counted by the stitching,but because the bottom three rows are composed of two beads each there are 16 beads in total. Strung in rows so that beads appear to be 'offset' A single row of beads strung horizontally borders the top, two rows of beads border the bottom, but one row does not extend across the whole belt sides are trimmed with ermine

Two white anthropomorphic figures in the centre, on a field of purple beads, two diagonal rows of white beads on the left, one diagonal row to the right of the figures

Oronhyatekha catalogue, p 59: "In the centre are represented in white shell beads an Indain and a white man clasping one another by the hand in token of friendship, and in this way is stated to record the agreement established between them."

The figure with the hat is meant to represent William Penn, and the one without is to represent the Lenape (Delaware) peoples. Refer to Wampum Belts by Tehanetorens (1972) alias Ray Fadden, pg. 65-66. -AE

Given in catalogue of Oronhyatekha collection.

1682 is the date of the original belt, but this may be a reproduction. Original belt unlikely to have fur, though this could have been added leater. Further investigation may be able to date this one. -AE

F. Barlow Cumberland, Catalogue and Notes of the Oronhyatekha Historical Collection (Toronto: Independent Order of Foresters, 1904), p 58,

Item 374. "Penn Wampum Belt. This belt is made of strings of beads of shell wampum, threaded on bark and sinew thread. It was obtained from Chief Waubuno (John P. Wampum) at Munceytown, Ontario, in 1887, by Mr. McClurg and was stated to be an Indian record of what took place at the great Council in 1682, when the Indians ceded what is now the State of Pennsylvania to William Penn and agreed upon what is known as the Unwritten Treaty...."

Unknown artist, William Penn wampum belt. Currently in the Royal Ontario Museum, 911.3.130 B. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2008; GRASAC item id 1452.

15-19 2008, funded by SSHRC Aboriginal Research Grant. Participants: Heidi Bohaker, Alan Corbiere, Lewis Debassige, Anne De Stecher, Darlene Johnston, Stacey Loyer, Trudy Nicks, Ruth Phillips

Dec 17 - Ethnology collection team: Cory Willmott, Alan Corbiere, Trudy Nicks, Stacey Loyer, Ruth Phillips