These are from a midden ( shell field ) along St. Joseph’s Sound, an inter coastal waterway off Dunedin Florida, Pinellas County..Shell dwellers who lived here had strong trade connections with folks a thousand miles away up the Mississippi. They traded large shells and columella used to make shell beads, no. 1.
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No.2 this preform was obviously cut from a clam shell like the one shown, to be drilled,?..after it reached its destination..There were at least two, right?, there had to be more, enough for a necklace??..This was a shell preform manufacturing site during Mississippian times...The amount of shell preforms found here by bears this out.( hundreds).
If you’ve ever tried to cut or break shell you appreciate the time and effort that went into the making of one bead, much less thousands...I can’t imagine cutting a preform out of a clam shell.
as always, thanks for lookin
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No.2 this preform was obviously cut from a clam shell like the one shown, to be drilled,?..after it reached its destination..There were at least two, right?, there had to be more, enough for a necklace??..This was a shell preform manufacturing site during Mississippian times...The amount of shell preforms found here by bears this out.( hundreds).
If you’ve ever tried to cut or break shell you appreciate the time and effort that went into the making of one bead, much less thousands...I can’t imagine cutting a preform out of a clam shell.
as always, thanks for lookin
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