For centuries Native Americans treasured quahog shells, the purplish hard coverings of clams found along North Atlantic shores, which they fashioned into beads called wampum to adorn ceremonial ...

They would eat the meat and use the shells for wampum, or beads that were traditionally used as ceremonial gifts and later as currency. The Latin name for quahog, mercenaria mercenaria, meaning ...

It’s now gaining attention as the result of an exhibit, “Wampum: Stories from the Shells of Native America,” that’s on display at the Cahoon Museum of American Art in Cotuit, through April 16.

Native artists bridge past and present through creations of a Wampum belt and quahog shell jewelry. Generations of Native artistry on display in Martha's Vineyard and Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

The shells of the large, hard-shelled clam were used by the Indigenous Narragansett people to make wampum. ... “Over the course of a quahog’s life there is a lot of uncertainty,” McManus said.

Quahogs are clams, but not all clams are quahogs. Don’t confuse the quahog with the soft-shell clam, which is a separate species found in tidal flats that’s used to make steamers.

Here's some quahog history. The word quahog comes from the Narragansett Indian name “poquauhock.” Naragansetts used quahog shells to make beads that were used as money (called wampum).

Made with quahog clam shells by artist Lydia Chavez, the long white-and-purple belt was put on display in the North Gallery on the fourth floor of the society's museum in Manhattan on Monday ...

The clam itself is a staple of clam chowders and in 1987, the Rhode Island Legislature designated the quahog the official “Rhode Island State Shell.” Skip to Main Content Open Close Menu ...

An Akwesasne artist making contemporary wampum belts says he thinks of strands of purple and white wampum beads as Morse code. The tubular beads made from quahog shells were used ornamentally or ...

Native artists bridge past and present through creations of a Wampum belt and quahog shell jewelry. Share Copy Link. Copy {copyShortcut} to copy Updated: 8:20 PM EST Jan 10, 2025 ...