Assateaque's first visitors were small bands of nomadic Indians with permanent settlements on the mainland who came seasonally to the island to harvest waterfowl, fish, oysters, clams, and plant foods. Little is known about these early people, but local tribes such as the Pocomoke, Nanticoke, Gingoteaue, and Assateaque were loosely part of the Algonquin-speaking Indian family, and each had its own culture. Although not much is known about the customs, dwellings, or dress of the different groups, many scientists think they had abundant food, few diseases, and enough natural resources to meet their needs. Shellfish were preserved by smoking, plant foods were dried, deer and bear provided skins for clothing, and the inner purple coloring of the quahog clamshell was valued as barter. Life along these shores probably remained relatively unchanged for almost 12,000 years, but within 200 years of European contact, most Indians had left the area.