Artifacts -
Ceremonial Objects
Click an artifact's image or name to view it.
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circa 1675
This pipe bowl would originally have been attached to a stem or shaft. The term calumet, derived from the French word for pipe or pipestem, refers to the entire pipe. |
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1738
The crucifix was an important symbol for missionaries hoping to explain their doctrine to Native Americans. |
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circa 1775 - 1800
This rare headdress is made of the whole headskin of a deer and is bordered by a band of hide decorated with quillwork. |
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1729
This gravestone of Eunice Mather Williams (1664-1704) was placed by her children in 1729. |
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circa 1727
The decorative French Royal Crest symbolized the power of the King of France. |
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circa 1668
An ostensor or monstrance is a receptacle in which the Host is displayed for adoration during the Catholic Mass. |
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late 18th century
Following contact with European explorers and traders, Native Americans began incorporating metals such as brass, copper and tin into traditional art forms and objects such as this otterskin bag. |
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1680 - 1700
This imported pewter flagon held the communion wine shared among the "visible saints" of the First Church of Deerfield, Massachusetts, that is, those men and women who had had a certifiable conversion experience and made a public profession of faith. |
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circa 1701
This wampum belt is thought to have been presented as a token of good faith during the signing of the Great Peace Treaty of 1701. |
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Contact Period
Strings of wampum like these served as more than just a medium of exchange for Native Americans. |