Photographs (left to right): Mt Charles, Nevada; Rio Grande, New Mexico; Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico

Wampum Belt Archive

 

Iroquois Belt

 

Peabody E39383

Original Size:	Rows: 9. Length: 43.25 inches. Wampum on leather
Reproduction:
Beads:
Materials:

Description:

Haudenosaunee, circa 18th Century.

The meaning of this belt, which is predominantly purple with ten white cross-filled hexagons, is now lost but does, however, bear faint traces of red paint on some of the beads and fringe. Belts marked with red were understood as a call to war. In 1763, the Ottawa (Odawa) leader Pontiac is said to have sent messengers bearing red-painted belts to the eastern Native nations in order to enlist their support in an offensive against the British.

Stolle, Nickolaus (2016)

Gift of the New England Historic Genealogical Society in 1963.

Reference:

American Federation of Arts. 2002. Uncommon Legacies" Native American Art from the Peabody Essex Museum. http://www.afaweb.org/education/documents/UncommonLegaciesPDF.pdf

Stolle, Nickolaus. 2016. Talking Beads: The history of wampum as a value and knowledge bearer, from its very first beginnings until today. Hamburg, Germany. ISSN 1437-7837