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Trade in the Old West
This page is a list, and much more, of endemic materials and other items used and traded by Native Americans, the Mountain Men, the Spanish, European emigrants and others who lived close to the land in the old west. As with some other pages in Old West Daily Reader, this one will slowly expand over time, hopefully with input from History Riders and Contributors.
Here are some questions that this section seeks to address…
What was in an early Indian traders pack?*
What did the white men bring? When?
What did items cost? What was the $ value of trade items.
What determined value on the frontier?
What Western resources had value in the East?
What were the most valuable trade items?
How did that change over time?
_________________________________
These items were early in the trade circuit from South and Central America…
Seeds from various plants which were developed by Native peoples.
certainly all of the squash varieties and, of course, maize.
Any of it that would grow in the North was grown somewhere, at least for a while…
Coco, which would never grow in the North
Various plants or parts thereof with medical uses.
Bird feathers – in particular, certain parrots (macaws, etc.).
No doubt, other more exotic items on occasion.
Some, were available from Spanish traders after the mid- 1500’s,
but most of these items, except horses and mules had to come from the east…
Animals – horses, mules and for some, oxen
Firearms and their accouterments:
powder, lead, flints, and later caps, cartridges (cases, primers, bullets & factory ammunition)
loading and cleaning accessories, spare parts (after some standardization).
Metal weapons & tools, knives, hawks, shovels, picks, etc.
medications
tobacco
whiskey
maps and information
The rest of the necessary resources were already here
…if you knew how to use them!
An item may appear in multiple lists…
Antler:
Deer
-awls and needles
-beads
-decoration and closures on clothing
-handles
-knapping tools
Elk (Wapiti)
-awls and needles
-beads
-decoration and closures on clothing
-digging tools
-handles
-knapping tools
-weapons
Moose:
-beads
-digging tools
-knapping tools
-plates and trays
-weapons
see:
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Animals Index Page – Mammals
Deer – Mule and White Tail, Moose, Elk (Wapiti)
Beads:
Prior to contact with European culture, Native Americans used a broad spectrum of endemic materials to make beads. European glass beads were introduced to Native Americans by the various exploring/trading parties beginning in the early 1700’s. The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-06 brought the larger sizes (4 to 10 mm) of Crow and Pony beads (33 pounds) as trade items . Other explores did the same. European Glass seed beads (2 mm) came to the American plains sometime c. 1840’s.
see:
The Originals Index – Trade in the Old West – Beads in Old West Trade)
Beaver Pelts – A made beaver [pelt] (Dic) was the standard of value (trade & $) in the Fur Trade era (1740’s to early 1850’s).
Bone
Animal Bone:
Baculum (penis bones):
-carving:
-art works
-game pieces
-tools
see:
References – Dictionary – Baculum
–them as has ’em…
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Animals Index Page – Mammals
badger, coyote, bear, fisher, fox, marten, mink, otter, raccoon, seal, skunk, wolf, wolverine, etc.
Photo Gallery Index – Weapons Photos Index – Edged Weapons – Arkansas Toothpick, 2nd. photo)
scapula
-dishes/trays
-weapons
see:
References – Dictionary – Indian Signboard
Long bones: (larger animals)
-game pieces
-implements
-handles
-digging blades
-tools
-weapons
skulls:
-ceremonial
-containers
-costume
teeth:
-adornment, jewelry
-tools
-weapons
Bird Bone
–adornment (jewelry)
–ceremonial (fans, headdresses, etc.)
–flutes
–whistles
see:
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Animals Index Page – Birds
Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, various hawks, magpies ravens, etc.
Dyes
see:
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Plants – Functional Plants
Hair & Parts
bird feet:
bones
see:
Bones – above
ears
-bears
-elk
-moose-
-mule deer
-and others
feathers
-eagle
-hawk
-owl
-parrot
-raven
-numerous others
hair:
-horse mane & tail
-porcupine guard hair (various colors)
-porcupine Quill (various colors, possibly dyed)
see:
Quill – below
hooves
-rattles
sinew
-bison
-deer
-elk
-numerous others
skins
-small animals – ermine, otter, rabbit, racoon, rodents, etc. and birds
tails:
-coyote
-fox
-ermine
-horse
-mule deer
-rabbit
-raccoon
-whitetail deer
-wolf
-and others
-turtle shells: box turtle, desert tortoise, painted turtle, snapping turtle, others
Hides
Beaver Pelts
-Stretched and dried, ready for transport
-Called a “made beaver”
see:
References – Dictionary – Made Beaver, Rendezvous
Buffalo Hides
-drum heads
-epismores
-robes
-working leather
-much more
for all others…
see:
References – Dictionary – Fur Bearers
then, for individual animals – (FB [fur bearer] appears after the name)…
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Animals Index Page – Mammals
Horn
bison (buffalo)
-containers
-costume
-powder horns
cattle
-containers
-lantern sides
-powder horns
-utensils
mountain Goat
-adornment
-small tools
pronghorn
-adornment
-ceremonial
bighorn sheep
-containers
-ceremonial
see:
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Animals Index Page – Mammals
Bighorn Sheep, Bison, Mountain Goat, Pronghorn
Minerals
charcoal
-medications
flint
for making tools and points
obsidian
for making tools and points
see:
The Originals Index – Landmarks and Registers – Glass Buttes
Photo Gallery Index – Mining Photos – Mining Minerals – Glass
Quartz
for making tools and points
Salt Petre
see:
Photo Gallery Index – Mining Photos – Mining Minerals – bat guano
sulphur
Metals
Copper (native)
-adornment
-tools
-trade
-weapons
see:
Photo Gallery Index – Mining Photos – Mining Minerals – copper
Gold
-adornment
-trade
see:
Photo Gallery Index – Mining Photos – Mining Minerals – gold
Iron
-meteoric Iron
-plate and wire
-scrap, pieces parts…
Silver
-adornment
-trade
see:
Photo Gallery Index – Mining Photos – Mining Minerals – silver
Plants
see:
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Plants
Quill
see:
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Animals Index Page – Mammals – Porcupine
Shell
abalone
red – the common one
green – likely not as common and therefore of more value
conch
east coast, gulf coast item, rare, more likely as pieces in western trade
musical instrument (intact shell)
cowrie shells
West coast trade item, likely not common moving east
no money cowries – an overseas trade item, if ever…
possibly via the fur trading vessels going into the western Pacific
Dentalium – Tusk Shell
Traded well for furs on the Pacific coast
see:
The Originals Index – Trade in the Old West – Beads in Old West Trade – Dentalium
oyster shell
Quahog
beads
sand dollars
Mexico – Sea of Cortez
snail shells
land snails
fresh water
salt water
Reeds
variable by locale…
see:
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Plants
Stones
agate
alabaster
carvings, vessels
carnelian*
flint
arrow heads, cutting and scraping tools
moonstone*
beads:
jade
beads
peridot*
beads
pipestone
beads, pipes, carvings, ceremonial items, etc.
quartz
arrow heads, cutting and scraping tools
Most of the colored quartz’s appear, here and there:
amethyst – not too likely
adventurine*
citrine*
clear*
rose
smoky
Turquoise
beads, carvings, ceremonial items, etc.
*These all turn up as small polished pebbles on some Pacific beaches
Teeth and Claws
claws
badger
black bear
grizzly bear
badger
lion
wolf
wolverine
teeth
black bear
elk
grizzly bear
horse
lion
wolf
Skulls
Containers, plates, ceremonial purposes
bear
deer
elk
fox
human
mouse
wolf
numerous others…
Wood
Ash
bows
Aspen
Cottonwood
dogwood
fir
hickory
bows
Ironwood
maple
Oak
Osage Orange
bows
pine
Willow
animal food
medication
structures
Products
Containers
bladders
several species
gourds
see:
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Plants – Functional Plants – gourds
horns
Bighorn Sheep
Bison
Mountain Goat
Pronghorn
skins
fox
otter
others…
skulls
many species…
shells
armadillo
mollusks
turtle
Pipes
(a handcrafted item)
bone
various species, various bones
horn
lined with clay
stone
-alabaster
–pipestone
wood
numerous species
*Early Indian Traders Pack (1st guess) 07/14
seeds – the three sisters, herbs; anything new or different
medicants/roots, dried berries, mushrooms; items unavailable in the trade area
small tools: awls, needles, arrow straighteners
imported stone (flint, obsidian, quartz) for weapons and tools, maybe some as finished products.
beads, dyes, feathers, ocher, quills, shells, and other decorative items…
Goods and technology from outside the cultural area of the tradee.
What items were most important?
to an Indian?
-horses: After the mid-1500’s.
-firearms
-flint and Quartz (arrowheads, spear and lance points)
-medicinal plants
-metal (iron) (arrowheads, spear & lance points, knives)
-plants & seeds
-tobacco
-whiskey
to an emigrant?
-horse, mules, oxen
-farm implements
-firearms
-medicine
-provisions
-tobacco
–wagons
-whiskey
to the Military?
-horses and mules
-medicine
-provisions
-tobacco
-wagons
-whiskey
see:
Quotes Index – Commentators Quotes – Soldiers c.1829
to a Miner?
-horses and mules
-provisions
-tobacco
-tools
-wagons
-whiskey
1742 –Hudson’s Bay Company, for beaver pelts:
one pelt for one pound of shot or three flints
four pelts for one pound of powder
ten pelts for a pistol; twenty pelts for a trade gun
We know what the white men brought in the early days
to the Mountain Men & the Indians at a Rendezvous:
-(see: Wk. 27, 07/05/1837)
Who else?
for further information on these issues in Old West Daily Reader, see:
The Originals Index – Trade in the Old West – Commerce in the Old West)
The Originals Index – Trade in the Old West – Beads in Old West Trade)
The Originals Index – Resources and Hazards – Animals Index Page – Plants – etc.
The Originals – Trails and Western Forts and Trading Posts
Photo Gallery Index – Weapons Photos Index – Edged Weapons – etc.
Photo Gallery Index – Mining Photos and Mining Minerals
References – Dictionary
End: Trade in the Old West
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