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TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

Words that were printed in italics are marked with _ _.
Printing and spelling errors have been corrected. A list of these
corrections can be found at the end of the document. Inconsistencies in
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  SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION----BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY.


  ART IN SHELL

  OF THE

  ANCIENT AMERICANS.

  BY

  WILLIAM H. HOLMES.




CONTENTS.


                                                                   Page.
  Introductory                                                       185

  Implements and utensils                                            189
    Unworked shells                                                  189
    Vessels                                                          192
    Spoons                                                           198
    Knives                                                           201
    Celts                                                            203
    Scrapers                                                         205
    Agricultural implements                                          207
    Fishing appliances                                               207
    Weapons                                                          210
    Tweezers                                                         211

  Ornaments                                                          213
    Pins                                                             213
    Beads                                                            219
      Perforated shells                                              219
      Discoidal beads                                                221
      Massive beads                                                  223
      Tubular beads                                                  226
      Runtees                                                        228
      Beads as ornaments                                             230
      Beads as currency                                              234
      Mnemonic use of beads                                          240
    Pendants                                                         255
    Perforated plates                                                264
    Engraved gorgets                                                 267
      The cross                                                      268
      The scalloped disk                                             273
      The bird                                                       280
      The spider                                                     286
      The serpent                                                    289
      The human face                                                 293
      The human figure                                               297




ILLUSTRATIONS.


                                                                   Page.
  PLATE XXI.--Natural shells as vessels                              192
       XXII.--Vessels artificially shaped                            194
      XXIII.--Vessel with engraved surface                           196
       XXIV.--Spoons                                                 200
        XXV.--Celts                                                  204
       XXVI.--Cutting and scraping implements                        206
      XXVII.--Weapons, agricultural implements, etc.                 208
     XXVIII.--Fishing appliances                                     210
       XXIX.--Manufacture of pins and beads                          214
        XXX.--Pins, Atlantic coast forms                             216
       XXXI.--Pins, Pacific coast forms                              218
      XXXII.--Beads, perforated shells                               220
     XXXIII.--Beads, discoidal in form                               222
      XXXIV.--Beads, massive in form                                 224
       XXXV.--Beads, tubular in form                                 226
      XXXVI.--Beads, "Runtees"                                       228
     XXXVII.--The wampum belt in treaties                            240
    XXXVIII.--Wampum belts                                           242
      XXXIX.--Wampum belts                                           244
         XL.--Wampum belt                                            246
        XLI.--Wampum belt                                            248
       XLII.--Wampum belt                                            250
      XLIII.--The Penn belt                                          252
       XLIV.--Strings of wampum                                      254
        XLV.--Ancient pendant ornaments                              256
       XLVI.--Plain pendants, Atlantic coast forms                   258
      XLVII.--Plain pendants, Pacific coast forms                    260
     XLVIII.--Plain pendants, Pacific coast forms                    262
       XLIX.--Plain pendants, Pacific coast forms                    264
          L.--Perforated plates                                      266
         LI.--Engraved gorgets, the cross                            268
        LII.--Engraved gorgets, the cross                            270
       LIII.--Engraved gorgets, the cross                            272
        LIV.--Engraved gorgets, scalloped disks                      274
         LV.--Engraved gorgets, scalloped disks                      276
        LVI.--Engraved gorgets, scalloped disks                      278
       LVII.--Scalloped disks, etc.                                  280
      LVIII.--Engraved gorgets, the bird, etc.                       282
        LIX.--Engraved gorgets, the bird, etc.                       284
         LX.--Engraved gorgets, the bird                             286
        LXI.--Engraved gorgets, the spider                           288
       LXII.--Engraved gorgets, the rattlesnake                      290
      LXIII.--Engraved gorgets, the rattlesnake                      290
       LXIV.--Engraved gorgets, the rattlesnake                      292
        LXV.--Engraved gorgets, the rattlesnake                      292
       LXVI.--The serpent                                            292
      LXVII.--Engraved gorgets, the human face                       294
     LXVIII.--Engraved gorgets, the human face                       294
       LXIX.--Engraved gorgets, the human face                       296
        LXX.--Engraved gorgets, the human face                       296
       LXXI.--Engraved gorgets, the human figure                     298
      LXXII.--Engraved gorgets, the human figure                     298
     LXXIII.--Engraved gorgets, the human figure                     300
      LXXIV.--Engraved gorgets, the human figure                     300
       LXXV.--Engraved gorgets, the human figure                     302
      LXXVI.--The human figure                                       302
     LXXVII.--Sculptured frogs                                       304




ART IN SHELL OF THE ANCIENT AMERICANS.

BY WILLIAM H. HOLMES.




INTRODUCTORY.


The student will find scattered throughout a wide range of archaeologic
literature frequent but casual mention of works of art in shell.
Individual uses of shell have been dwelt upon at considerable length by
a few authors, but up to this time no one has undertaken the task of
bringing together in one view the works of primitive man in this
material.

Works of ancient peoples in stone, clay, and bronze, in all countries,
have been pretty thoroughly studied, described, and illustrated.

Stone would seem to have the widest range, as it is employed with almost
equal readiness in all the arts.

Clay is widely used and takes a foremost place in works of utility and
taste.

Metals are too intractable to be readily employed by primitive peoples,
and until a high grade of culture is attained are but little used.

Animal substances of compact character, such as bone, horn, ivory, and
shell, are also restricted in their use, and the more destructible
substances, both animal and vegetable, however extensively employed,
have comparatively little archaeologic importance.

All materials, however, are made subservient to man and in one way or
another become the agents of culture; under the magic influence of his
genius they are moulded into new forms which remain after his
disappearance as the only records of his existence.

Each material, in the form of convenient natural objects, is applied to
such uses as it is by nature best fitted, and when artificial
modifications are finally made, they follow the suggestions of nature,
improvements being carried forward in lines harmonious with the
initiatory steps of nature.

Had the materials placed at the disposal of primitive peoples been as
uniform as are their wants and capacities, there would have been but
little variation in the art products of the world; but the utilization
of a particular material in the natural state gives a strong bias to
artificial products, and its forms and functions impress themselves upon
art products in other materials. Thus unusual resources engender unique
arts and unique cultures. Such a result, I apprehend, has in a measure
been achieved in North America.

In a broad region at one time occupied by the mound-building tribes we
observe a peculiar and an original effort--an art distinctive in the
material employed, in the forms developed, and to some extent in the
ideas represented. It is an age of shell, a sort of supplement to the
age of stone.

It is not my intention here to attempt at extended discussion of the
bearings of this art upon the various interesting questions of
anthropologic science, but rather to present certain of its phases in
the concrete, to study the embodiment of the art of the