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Bowl attributed to the Wampanoag

Bowl attributed to the Wampanoag Elm burl
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Elm burl, 1655-1675

17.8 cm (height) x 36.5 cm (width) x 33.3 cm (depth)

Inscribed: A Trophy from the Wigwam of King Philip When he was Slain in 1676 by Richard. Presented, by Elezr Richard, his Grandson
Formerly known as "King Philip's Samp Bowl"

Wood 01.001


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  • Main description

[ This description is from the project: MHS 225th Anniversary ]

Samp, or nasaump, the Algonquian term for porridge made from ground Indian corn, was served in carved elm burls like this one, crafted by the Wampanoag tribe. Only seven Algonquian bowls are known to exist. Purchased for the MHS in 1804, it was once believed the bowl belonged to Metacom, or King Philip, the Wampanoag chief who united the fractious New England tribes against the expanding population of colonists.