Quahog Shell Necklace with Cross Pendant

Description

This beautiful quahog shell necklace is hand carved with a heshi necklace (13″).  The length of the necklace can be adjusted, as we can add or remove some heshi shells. The pendant is carved into the shape of an square (2″) with a cross.

Wampum, a traditional shell bead for Eastern Woodland tribes used as money is made using quahog shells. Wampum is a tubular bead used for wampum belts and other items such as necklaces to solidify agreements.  For example, a person who wants to marry another might give a strand of some white wampum and quahog wampum. If the intended agrees to marry that person they would join the necklace in a circle, joining the strand together as a form of commitment or agreement. If they are not interested in marriage they would return the wampum as a strand, not joining the wampum together. See our other quahog shell items, including earrings and necklaces.