Photographs (left to right): All Mohave Desert, California/Nevada

Wampum Belt Archive

Wyandot/Wendat - Haudenosaunee Peace Belt

Photograph Courtesy of National Museum of American Indians (001855.000)

Reproduction R. D. Hamell Sept. 16, 2018

Original Size:	Estimated to by about 24.0 inches
Reproduction:	Beaded length: 36.0. Width: 3.5. Length w/fringe 60.0 inches
Beads:	Columns 224 by 7 wide. Total beads: 1,568.
Materials:	Warp: deer leather. Weft: artificial sinew.

Description:

Labeled as: A-to-wa To-ho-nad-he-to as the possible owner. Purchased from that individual by Mrs. H. M. Converse in 1903.

Wendat (Huron) belt ca. 1612, Quebec, Canada. Materials: Whelk shell, quahog shell, hide, basswood fiber yarn.

The square represents the Huron Nations. The purple stripes designate the people, while the white background shows the people of both nations walk in peace.

A second belt of similar style was said to be in the possession of the Huron chief. It too, represents a peace treaty but is depicted to have seven crosses of purple beads which signify villages. This belt may be a condolence belt. This is likely erroneously mistaken the meaning of the crosses. See NMAI Cat. #117512.000 Wyandot-Huron or Wyandot Condolence Belt NMAI 117512.html.

This belt was given to the Iroquois Nation by the Huron to commemorate the signing of a peace treaty in 1612. This was one of the many unsuccessful attempts in the early 17th century to end the fighting between the confederacies. The dark square in the center represents the Huron; the dark stripes, people; and the white strips, peace. The message contained in the belt is "The people of both nations walk in peace together."

Examination of the latter belt shows traces it once was smeared with red paint; the reason is unknown. The 1612 date suggested for this belt is questionable and needs to be verified by the examination of the beads.

Reference:

Speck, F. G. 1911. Notes on the Material Culture of the Huron. National Museum of the American Indian, Vol. 13.