This section contains a list of some Wampanoag tools and appliances
described by early observers. Where processes of manufacture and
methods of use are known and have not been more appropriately
included in previous sections they will be found in the following
pages. Basketry, clothing, and ornaments are thoroughly described
elsewhere.
The descriptive notes are arranged in the following order: item,
followed by use (where known), followed by material (where known),
followed by any details of construction, etc., followed by references
as to location of the data in the literature.
BOW: weapon and hunting: walnut or “wich hasell”; 5-6′ long,
painted black and yellow; strung with twisted sinew thicker than
European boxstrings of the time; effective range “six to seven
score”. (Josselyn, p. 257; Bushnell, p. 675; Wood, pp. 97, 101;
Howe, p. 71)
ARROW: weapon, hunting, fishing; shaft of “young elderne”; 18″
long; made with detachable tips, the point bound to a 6-8″ piece
of wood, which is then inserted in a socket in the main shaft and
held by binding; fletching of long, broad, black feathers of eagle,
vulture, or kite, attached with glue and binding. (Wood, p. 100;
Mourt’s Relation, p. 183; Howe, p. 71)
ARROW POINTS: stone—quartz (generally white), slate (Chapin, p. 3);
metal—copper, iron, brass; triangular or “hart shaped” (Brereton,
p. 43-44; Williams, p. 137; Wood, p. 100; Willoughby, pp. 237-39),
bone (Willoughby, pp. 237-39); end of tail of horseshoe crab.
(Howe, p. 120)
FISHING SPEAR: shaft wood; point stone (quartz—usually white—or
slate) or metal—iron, copper, (Chapin, p. 3; Brereton, pp. 43-44;
Williams, p. 137; Bushnell, p. 675)
LONG SPEAR: carried into battle by a chief and used for carrying
back the heads of slain enemies; metal blade attached for point.
(Wood, p. 95; Gookin, p. 152, Lechford, p. 120)
KNIFE: handle antler; blade stone (quartz, flint, or slate)
or metal; hafted by insertion of the blade into sleeve cut in
handle; handle might be decorated by incised lines; two holes
drilled diagonally until they meet to form an opening provide for
suspending cord. (Willoughby, p. 239-40, illustrated; Chapin, p. 30)