What is wampum
Wampum is the Northeast coastal tradition of beads and ornaments cut from quahaug (hard clam) and other shell — especially the purple band of the quahaug shell.
That craft goes back thousands of years on this Atlantic shoreline: shell beads as adornment, as markers of exchange, and later as a medium of trade often called America’s first currency. The purple is not painted on; it is the natural color of the shell.
At Wampum World, jewelry and beads come from purple and white parts of the shell — environmentally sound by-products after clam meat is used. From that material come beads, cabochons, carved shapes, and finished earrings, pendants, bracelets, and more.
