214 ART IN SHELL OF THE ANCIENT AMERICANS. 



aud hence consecrated to the use of the dead ; and, second, the condi- 

 tions under which they were buried had much to do with preserving them 

 from rapid decay, while on the coast or when exposed to the atmosphere 

 they soon disappeared. 



An interesting series of specimens illustrating the various stages of 

 manufacture of articles from the columella is presented in Plate XXIX. 

 In Fig. 1 a section of a Busycon pervcrsum is given. The position of 

 the columella and its relations to the exterior parts may be clearly 

 seen. The reverse whorl of the spire will be noticed, and the consequent 

 sinistral character of the groove. Fig. 2 illustrates the extracted col- 

 umella in its untriuimed state. A similar specimen is shown in Fig. 3, 

 Plate XXXI. It was obtained from the site of an old Indian lodge on 

 the island of Martha's Vineyard. This, with a number of smaller speci- 

 mens, may be seen in the National Museum. They show no signs of 

 use, and were probably destined for manufacture into pins or beads. 



Columellse in this state are very frequently found in the mounds aud 

 graves of the interior States; a majority probably belong to the Busy- 

 cons, but a considerable number are derived from the titromhidcv. A 

 few specimens of large size may be seen in the national collection. 



Fig. 3 represents a roughly dressed pin, of a type peculiar to the 

 Pacific coast. 



Fig. 4 illustrates a completed pin of the form most common in the 

 middle Mississippi province. 



Fig. 5 shows a rather rare form of pin, pointed at both ends. Bone 

 pins of this form are quite common. 



Fig. 6 represents a nearly symmetrical cylinder. ■ 



Fig. 7 illustrates the manner of dividing the cylinders into sections 

 for beads. 



In 1881 some very important additions to the National Museum were 

 made, from the mounds of Tennessee. These include a great wealth of 

 objects in shell. From the McMahon mound at Sevierville, Tenn., there 

 are a dozen shell pins, all made from the Busycon perversum. The entire 

 specimens range from three to six inches in length; two are fragment- 

 ary, having lost their points by decay. In shape these objects are quite 

 uniform, being, however, as a rule, more slender in the shaft than the 

 average pin. The heads range from one-half to one inch in length, and 

 are generally less than one inch in diameter. They are somewhat varied 

 in shape, some being cylindrical, others being conical above. The 

 shaft is pretty evenly rounded, but is seldom symmetrical or straight. 

 It is rai'ely above one-half an inch in diameter, and tapers gradually to 

 a more or less rounded point. The groove of the canal shows distinctly 

 in all the heads, and may often be traced far down the shaft. In a 

 number of cases the surface retains the fine polish of the newly-finished 

 object, but it is usually somewhat ■weathered, and frequently discolored 

 or chalky. These specimens were found in the mounds along with de- 

 posits of human remains, and generally in close proximity to the head; 

 this fact suggests their use as ornaments for the hair. 



