Photographs (left to right): St. Thomas, Pennsylvania; Letchworth State Park, New York; Gull; Virginia Beach, Virginia

Wampum Belt Archive

 

Delaware - Teedyuscung Belt

Artwork by Eileen Koehler

Conception and reproduction of Teedyuscung Belt by R. D. Hamell

Original Size:	Alleged to have been six foot (belt doesn't exist)
Reproduction:	Beaded length: 57.0 inches. Width: 7.0 inches. Length with fringe: 81.0 inches.
Beads:	15 vertical rows by 343 rows long. Total bead: 5,145.
Materials:	Warp: leather. Weft: artificial sinew.

Description:

Wampum belts conveyed messages. This is a rendering of a 6-foot-long belt Pennsylvania gave Delaware leader during the first Easton talks in 1756. The belt signifies the new relationship between the British colony and the Ten Nations that Teedyuscung said he spoke for -- the Six Nations of the Iroquois and the Delawares, Shawnees, Mohickons and Munsees. On the belt, which no longer exists but might have looked like this image, the central figure represents Pennsylvania; the smaller figures on each side represent the Ten Nations. (Original artwork by Eileen Koehler; from a private collection / November 27, 2006).

Additional information was given in the 1756 report from the Council of Easton on July 30th of 1756:

At a COUNCIL held at Easton, on Friday the 30th of July, 1756, P. M. PRESENT, The Honourable the GOVERNOR. WILLIAM LOGAN, RICHARD PETERS, BENJAMIN CHEW, JOHN MIFFLIN, Esquires. CONRAD WEISER, Esquire.  

MR. WEISER was ask’d, Whether it was intended the Governor should keep the Belt Teedyuscung gave, or return it? Mr. Weiser answered, That having some Doubts about it, he put the same Question to Newcastle, who said the Belt was sent by the Six Nations to the Delawares, and as it was given by them to the Governor, it ought to be preserved among the Council Wampum, being a Belt of great Consequence; and it would be well to return another of a Fathom long, and at the Deliver of it, which must be in Council To-morrow, to make a proper Address to Teedyuscung, that he would be diligent, and carry it to all the Nations within his Influence. Newcastle said further, That Teedyuscung would want Abundance of Wampum, and if he had it not, the Cause would suffer exceedingly. He hoped the Council Bag was full, and desired it might be emptied into the Lap of Teedyuscung. Mr. Weiser concurring in Opinion, and saying, that the French gave great Quantities of Wampum to their Indians, and on Matters of Consequence their Belts were several Fathom long, and very wide, the Secretary was ordered to bring what Wampum he had into Council, viz. Fifteen Strings, and seven Belts, a Parcel of new black Wampum, amounting to seven Thousand; and having no new white Wampum, nor any proper Belts to give in Return for Teedyuscung’s Peace Belt, a Messenger was sent to Bethlehem, and he returned with five Thousand; upon which the Indian Women were employed to make a Belt of a Fathom long, and sixteen Beads wide; in the Center of which was to be the Figure of a Man, meaning the Governor of Pennsylvania, and on each Side five other Figures, meaning the ten Nations mentioned by Teedyuscung.

Reference:

Mark Turdo, historian and former curator of the Moravian Historical Society. See: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/all-fi_talksbreakoutnov27,0,873057.story