RI Secretary of State Associate Director of Education and Public Programs Lane Sparkman launched an informal series at the State Archives with a look at some of the Indigenous signatures found on 17th century documents housed there. Click here for a video about the other signatures in the Archives.

The marks of Miantonomy of the Narragansett Tribe and of King Philip (Metacomet) of the Pokanoket Tribe are found on documents that were displayed.

The public records are all copies of the originals, but still interesting to see, including those of the Pokanoket Massasoits Wamsutta, Metacomet, and Ousamequin.

State Archivist & Public Records Administrator Ashley (Prior) Selima (above, left) was on hand to respond to questions about the Archives. (Above, right) One of the early seals of the Rhode Island Colony, with an anchor and the word “Hope” at the top, was included on several of the documents.

Click here for another page about the signatures in the Rhode Island State Archives.