The Lenâpé and Their Legends With the complete text and symbols of the Walam olum, a new translation, and an inquiry into its authenticity

This volume brings together a suite of early ethnographic studies focused on the Lenape peoples of the mid‑Atlantic region, tracing their languages, customs, and place within the broader Algonkin family. The author supplements the cultural overview with a full presentation of the Walam Olum—a series of pictographic symbols and verses once thought lost—offering a fresh translation and the notes of contemporary Delawares who examined its meaning. Readers also find a candid discussion of the manuscript’s disputed authenticity, inviting scholars to weigh the evidence and consider its role in American archaeology.

Beyond the translation, the work maps the expansive reach of Algonkin tribes from the Atlantic seaboard to the interior plains, highlighting the Lenape’s settlements along the Delaware, Potomac, and Hudson valleys. Detailed descriptions of their dwellings, agriculture, and stone‑working practices paint a vivid picture of daily life before European contact. The book’s blend of scholarly rigor and accessible narrative makes it a valuable resource for anyone curious about the foundations of Native American history in the eastern United States.