ABSTRACT
The introduction of new commodities, increased access to traditional imports, and the value these gained as markers of status within a community are subject to an array of unpredictable contexts. The Niumi archaeological assemblages are characterized by such unpredictability, as not all commodities brought across the Atlantic for trade were readily adopted as signs of wealth by the local community, nor placed within comparable spheres of value. Those that were found in large numbers, like glass trade beads, were consumed discriminately. Others, such as tobacco and tobacco pipes, became part of local production, with indigenous wares gaining value over European products. In order to uncover these trends in consumption, it is fi rst necessary to discern the nature of exchange networks, the value of the goods exchanged at different points within these networks, and fi nally what goods were accepted by the residents of the Niumi commercial center in addition to how these were used to assert status.
