Wampum were white and purple beads made of polished whelk and clam shells. They were used by Native Americans in the Northeast as ornaments, symbols of status, ceremonial artifacts, and currency. They were strung together and worn as belts, sashes, necklaces, headpieces, and other adornments. Each color represented something different – white beads represented pure and light events, purple beads were for somber events. The combination was like a yin and yang, representing overall life.
Around 1630, wampum began to be used in trade in the Northeast between the Europeans and Native Americans, particularly between the Dutch and the Narragansetts and Pequots who would trade beaver pelts and other goods for wampum. Eventually fixed rates of