NO. 14 ARCHEOLOGY OF BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS STRONG 7I 



Besides large conch slicUs with perforations, the only other shell 

 artifacts from this site were found in the central offertory vase. 

 These small artifacts include i six-pointed star, 5 shell danglers, 7 

 labrets, 3 triangular pendants, 18 more or less fragmentary beads, 

 and several irregularly cut or ground shell fragments. 



The six-pointed star (pi. 15, /) is considerably battered and both 

 surfaces are somewhat eroded. It is probably made from a bivalve 

 {Laevicardiuni elatuiii Sby.) found only on the Pacific coast from 

 Mexico northward. The identification is based on unique wavy ridges 

 or laminations that show on the reverse side of the star and are 

 characteristic of this species. The specimen is 4.5 cm in greatest width 

 and is decorated on one side by a broad, deep incision outlining the 

 star. There is a small perforation in the center surrounded by an 

 incised line. Its use is unknown. The shell danglers (pi. 15, 0, b) are 

 likewise interesting in regard to their source, which is mainly the Gulf 

 of California, though the species (Oliva porphyria Linne) may 

 occur further south in the Pacific. The present specimens are chalky 

 white, in marked contrast to the rich natural coloration of the shell, 

 which consists of an intricate and beautiful series of fine, zigzag 

 brown lines on a shell-pink background (pi. 15, d). Such exquisite 

 shells must have had high trade value, and their occurrence here on 

 the Atlantic side of the Isthmus, far from their natural range, is 

 interesting. In manufacturing the danglers, one tip has been removed. 

 A notched hole made for suspension, and a considerable portion 

 of the opposite end has been ground down. Their use is unknown, 

 but their shape and method of perforation suggest that they may have 

 been used as a decorative and musical fringe for ceremonial gar- 

 ments. Two of the danglers from the vase are nearly complete (pi, 

 15, a, b) ; the other three are badly broken but of the same type. A 

 small Oliva (sp. ?) shell (pi. 15, g) has a more central perforation 

 but is cut in the same manner. 



The shell labrets (pi. 15, //-///) have been ground down from some 

 thick shell, but the species is not identifiable from the worked pieces. 

 Presumably, these were worn as lip ornaments with the button inside 

 the lip and the elongated oval portion outside. With one exception 

 (pi. 15, h), all are perforated, with the external opening large and 

 the inner opening small. The purpose of these unequal biconodont 

 perforations, whether for an inset of some sort or for some other 

 reason, is unknown. The largest specimen (pi. 13, /) is 3.8 cm in 

 length and 1.4 cm high. Besides those figured, there are two broken 



