Shell tool pondering

[swamp monkey]

Here is the link.  http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/coast/nature/images/columela-points-AEA.html

[swamp monkey]

This gulf quahog was actually knapped like it was flint!

[JackCrafty]

You gotta be careful when you look at "knapped" shell tools.  They could have been shaped buy scraping the shell quickly against a rough, jagged stone.  Not the same as knapping.

On the other hand, shell can be pressure flaked if the tool is hard enough (like a pointed stone) and you're careful.

Interesting photo!

[swamp monkey]

Native American Uses for Shells

Marine Shells
Hammer/cutting ax/ war club:  Hammers would have utilized the full shell with holes for a handle insertion. Busycon perversum (lightning whelk), Pleuroploca gigantea (horse conch),  Melanongena colona (Florida crown conch), Strombus alatus (Florida fighting conch)  Cassis sp. (helmet shells), Strombus gigas (queen conch)
Celt/adze: Cut from the whorl of the shell. Busycon perversum (lightning whelk), Busycon corica (knobbed whelk), Pleuroploca gigantea (horse conch),  Mercenaria campechiensis (quahog clam) ), Strombus gigas (queen conch)
Scraper: Mercenaria campechiensis (quahog clam) ), Rangia cueta (common rangia), Macrocallista nimbosa (Sunray Venus clam), Crassostrea virginica (Oyster)
Awl: The columella is used for this tool.  Busycon perversum (lightning whelk), Crassostrea virginica (Oyster)
Digging tool: Crassostrea virginica (Oyster)
Arrow point:  Macrocallista nimbosa (Sunray Venus clam)
Spear point:  Macrocallista nimbosa (Sunray Venus clam)
Anvil: Mercenaria campechiensis (quahog clam)
Masher or crusher:  Busycon perversum (lightning whelk),
Slim cutting tool:  this is a lot like a chisel.  Pleuroploca gigantea (horse conch)
Chopper:  Pleuroploca gigantea (horse conch), Mercenaria campechiensis (quahog clam)
Knife:  Mercenaria campechiensis (quahog clam), Crassostrea virginica (Oyster), Macrocallista nimbosa (Sunray Venus)
Weight: holes drilled in center to attach cord for attachment to nets or traps.  Mercenaria campechiensis (quahog clam), Busycon perversum (lightning whelk), Rangia cueta (common rangia), Crassostrea virginica (Oyster), Macrocallista nimbosa (Sunray Venus)
Anchor:  Busycon perversum (lightning whelk),
Sinker: These are interpreted as net sinkers but I would call them plummets.   I have experimented with attaching them to cord and they do not stay on with just a knot.  Pleuroploca gigantea (horse conch)
Net gauge:  for standardizing size of net mesh.  Mercenaria campechiensis (quahog clam), Busycon perversum (lightning whelk), Pleuroploca gigantea (horse conch), 
Spinning whorl:  Busycon perversum (lightning whelk),
Cup/dipper: Pleuroploca gigantea (horse conch), Busycon perversum (lightning whelk),
Black drink cup: Engraved exterior - surprisingly inland Mississippian cultures did this more than coastal groups.  Busycon perversum (lightning whelk),
Light/candle basin:  Busycon perversum (lightning whelk)
Gorget: Circular to oval shaped necklace ornament with engraved design.  Busycon perversum (lightning whelk),
Pendant: Non oval, and sometimes unengraved necklace ornament.  Busycon perversum (lightning whelk),
Beads: Busycon perversum (lightning whelk), Cerrithidea, sp.  (horn snail), Marginella conoidalis (Atlantic Marginella),  Olivella biplicata(purple dwarf olive)
Disk beads: Busycon perversum (lightning whelk), Mercenaria mercenaria (venus mercenaria clam)
Pin:  Used to hold clothing or hair in place.  The columella was used for this.  Busycon perversum (lightning whelk), Strombus alatus (Florida fighting conch)  Strombus gigas (queen conch), Haliotis sp. (abalone), Nucella lamellosa (Frilled Dogwinkle), Dentalium Sp. (tusk shells)
Food:   Busycon perversum (lightning whelk), Rangia cueta (common rangia), Pleuroploca gigantea (horse conch)


All of these items are documented in the following Sources:
Shell Artifacts from the Caloosahatchee Area, 1992. by William H, Marquardt, in the book Culture of the Calusa. 
Art in Shell by William Henry Holmes, 1923.
Prehistoric Shell Artifacts from the Apalachicola River Valley Area, Northwest Florida, Eric Eyles 2004, Master's thesis.
as well as the website  www.texasbeyondhistory.net

I hope some of you have other sources I can examine.  Notice I am heavy on southern US shells.  I have not dug into Pacific Coast yet.  If you have information please share it. 

I don't know about you folks but this inspires me to make some stuff!

[swamp monkey]

now wouldn't it be cool to do this with Freshwater mussels?

[jcinpc]

since you have 2 pictures of my shell celts on here might as well throw a few more into the mix I have , busycon shell adze , Quahog shell anvil

[jcinpc]

here is a busycon shell cup I also dug out

[swamp monkey]

great pix!  keep 'em coming.

Swamp Monkey

[Pat B]

These are some whelk drills/points(?) I found falling out of a shell ring on an island near Bluffton, SC when we lived there. Most of the other points in this showcase were from there. You will also see the antler tine and other bone pieces along with the whelk pieces, all came from shell rings.
  FYI...I found the mummified rat in a bag of grass seed and the false teeth in an old dump area where my driveway is now.

[swamp monkey]

A lightning whelk shell cutting tool, one made of a horse conch and a scraper made of a quahog.

[swamp monkey]

Some more tools and a Calusa village just for grins.

[jcinpc]

Some more tools and a Calusa village just for grins.

the shells are hammers, look at the blunted ends of the columnella and the quahog is just a broken fragment

[Billinthedesert]

Anyone actually use whelk as an adze blade? How long does it stand up to wood before it needs sharpening?

[swamp monkey]

I made a hammer/ax and have plans to make an adze and Celt. These will be for use not just show.  I hope to report how they work sometime next spring.    I want the full tool set to begin on a project.

[Parnell]

I live at ground zero for the Calusa tribe (Naples/Estero) and have done a lot of paddling, exploring and wondered about the use of shells for tools.  What has struck me is why the tribe didn't look to trade more or use any of the knappable FL rock.  They were supposedly powerful paddlers.  I've read they had the ability to make it to Cuba within 24 hours, wouldn't be surprised if some sort of sail power was involved.  If they were making it to Cuba - what resources may they have had there? Knappable rock isn't far outside of the Calusa territory.  I suppose shell worked just fine for them for their purposes.  Especially in light of the Calusa dugout canoe building they did.  A shell adze had to have been effective!

I've often wondered what they did with their dead.  I'd guess cremation because I haven't heard squat about burial areas or remains.
Sure wish there was an example of Calusa archery artifacts.  Sharks teeth points would have been the way to go but have wondered about the other details.  Probably cypress bows, potentially pop ash?  Myrsine makes good wooden native arrow shafts.  I wonder if they used bones from deer/panthers/manatee, etc...
Wouldn't be surprised if they were spear/atlatl folks more commonly than the bow.

Cool thread!