Shell Beads & Gorget 004.99.2792, 004.99.294 & 004.99.2791

Like bone, shell artifacts are more commonly found on younger sites under more neutral soil conditions. Here, on the left, we see the central whorl (columella) of a whelk shell which was used as a preform for making discoidal beads. A whelk is a large marine gastropod or snail. Beside the columella is a string of finished discoidal beads. The last item is the inside and outside view of a gorget made of marine shell, likely the outer part of a whelk shell. While sometimes etched with various motifs, this specimen has been heavily eroded by soil acid.

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