wampum
1 of 1noun/ˈwɑm.pəm/
Forms:wampums
2
a shell beads used by some Native American tribes as currency or ceremonial items
- The Haudenosaunee Confederacy used wampum belts as a means of recording and conveying important treaties and agreements.
- Wampum beads were used by various Native American tribes, including the Wampanoag and Lenape, for ceremonial purposes and as symbols of honor and prestige.
- Early European settlers in North America often traded with Native American tribes using wampum beads as a form of currency.
- Wampum belts were intricately woven by skilled artisans and served as visual representations of historical events and cultural traditions.
- The word wampum is derived from the Algonquian language and refers to both the beads themselves and the traditional practice of using them in trade and diplomacy.
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