Which items did nomadic and village peoples exchange through intertribal trade?
Intertribal trade between nomadic and village peoples of the Great Plains was a common practice that facilitated the exchange of diverse goods and resources. A primary example of this exchange was the trade of buffalo robes for corn.1
Beyond these staples, trade networks involved a variety of other materials:
- Horses: Nomadic tribes, such as the Cheyenne, acted as middlemen in the trade of horses between different regions.1
- European-introduced goods: Through the fur trade, tribes brokered items such as guns, blankets, beads, cloth, and metal kettles.12
- Pelts: These were frequently exchanged for the manufactured goods mentioned above.1
In addition to physical commodities, there was a significant exchange of intangible assets. This included the transfer of ritual knowledge, such as curing rites and war medicine, as well as the purchase of apprenticeships for craft production, such as learning to chip flint arrowheads or create pottery. These trading relationships were often strengthened through the practice of ritual adoption, which established kinship-based roles between the participants.1