194 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 182 



Sections of Serprelid worm tubes (marine) were present mostly in 

 the general midden level, but a number were found in the fill of 

 several graves. We also found instances in wliich sections of these 

 tubes had been converted into crude beads. 



Hundreds of marginella shells, Prunum limatula (Conrad), were 

 recovered from around the necks of individuals, from wristbands, 

 skirts or kilts, aprons, and knee bands. The overall shell was but little 

 altered ; near the base of each a hole was worn through to the central 

 cavity which served as the means of passing the attacliment to the 

 cloth, or through which the shells were threaded individually on a 

 necklace. These marginella are of the peculiar Virginia variety. 



The only other whole shell to be utilized by these Indians of southern 

 Virginia and northern Nortli Carolina is Oliva saywna (Ravenei). 

 These specimens are fairly imiform in length, measuring 36 nmi. 

 overall. In all instances a portion of the base had been rubbed away, 

 making a hole for the insertion of the cord. The 10 specimens formed 

 a necklace around the neck of one of the burials. 



Shell gorgets showed a wide range in overall diameters (pi. 69). 

 The smallest gorget, 41 mm. long by 34 mm. w^ide, is roughly rec- 

 tangular in outline with an elliptical central perforation, 5 mm. across 

 its widest dimension and 3 mm. across its shortest axis. The largest 

 of the gorgets is roughly circular, measuring 142 mm. across its longest 

 axis and 133 mm. across its shortest axis. Tliis gorget was not per- 

 forated and apparently was suspended from the neck of an individual, 

 as illustrated in figure 44. Supposedly, a netlike suspension hood 

 was woven around the outside of this large shell disk so that it could 

 be worn without being perforated. It was f omid lying upon the chest 

 of one of the burials. The ornament was manufactured from one 

 of the giant left-handed spiral Busycons, Busycon contrarium 

 (Conrad). 



A number of other gorgets, ranging in diameter from 75 mm. to 

 90 mm., were fashioned from Busycon carica (Gmelin) , a right-handed 

 gastropod. Some have central perforations while others lack this 

 feature. Most have two closely spaced holes near the margin for 

 suspension. These holes were drilled from either side. One gorget, 

 showing a portion of one and two complete marginal holes, also had 

 a central perforation. Radiating from this central perforation were 

 four etched or incised lines which divided the circle into four unequal 

 parts (pi. 6d,B,a). 



Witli the exception of the small marginella shells, shell material 

 of the type used for ornamental purposes is scarce. Whole pits, 

 however, were filled with shells of fresh-water mussels. Other pits 

 were filled very compactly with the shells of the various types of 

 snails. Whether these were steaming pits could not be determined 

 since there was no evidence of the use of heat in any of them. 



