28 Shells as evidence of the Migrations. 
copper, gold and silver, as weavers, and as enterprising 
traders who travelled far and wide, trafficking with these 
products and the cocoa-bean.” ” 
Similarly, the ancient Chiriquians of the Panamic 
region, whose descendants, the Guaymis, still go in search 
of the Purpura shells, were metal workers in gold, copper 
and their alloys. 
That all the foregoing, in addition to other associated 
elements of culture, could have developed independently 
in the Old and in the New World is inconceivable. In 
Mexico, Central and South America, the aborigines un- 
animously disclaim their independent discovery of all arts 
and industries and assign their introduction to strangers 
of superior culture from distant and unknown parts,” 
As Mrs. Nuttall justly concludes, “it seems almost 
easier to believe that certain elements of an ancient 
European culture were at one time, and perhaps once only, 
actually transmitted by the traditional small band of .. . 
Mediterranean sea-farers, than to explain how, under 
totally different conditions of race and climate, the identical 
ideas and customs should have arisen.” 
The peculiar and distinctive character of the shell- 
purple industry is in itself sufficient justification for this 
conclusion, as it is altogether unlikely that different people 
could have adopted so remarkable a custom, along with 
identical methods of extracting the precious purple matter 
from shell-fish. 
In glancing over the facts quoted in this chapter it will 
be at once apparent that many gaps exist in the 
geographical distribution of this remarkable industry. 
These lacun, however, are probably more apparent than 
’ Nuttall, of. c#/., p. 381. 
*° Jhd, pp. 382-3. 
*! Thid. pp. 383-4. 
