Wampum, or Wompan, is an American Indian word meaning 'strings of white beads'. Wampum was used as money, according to tradition, first by the Narragansett Indians and was afterward generally adopted by the Indians along the eastern coast as a medium of exchange. It was also used as money by the colonists of New England and the Middle States, being deemed a legal tender from 1627 to 1661.
Wampum was manufactured from beads made from the stems of periwinkle shells, common along the coast. These shells were both white and black, and the value of the latter as a medium of exchange was twice that of the former. The beads were strung together and sewn upon belts, and were also worn as necklaces and wristlets. The black beads were called 'Suckanhock'. Wampum was also known under the Dutch name 'Sewon', or 'Zeewand'. Payments were made by stripping off individual beads, or by cutting off portions of the embroidered belts. Research Wampum
The wampum is a broad belt formed of strings of shells and worn as an ornament or girdle by North American Indians. The name was also given to the interior parts of the clam shell which was used as currency among some Indians. Research Wampum
Abbreviations
Research Wampum
