FEWKES] 



SHELL OBJECTS FROM LITTLE COLORADO RUINS 



91 



iiioi-f than one instance the author has taken them from the bones of 

 the arm. Similar specimens often have been described as ear pend- 

 ants, and the}' ma^' in some instances have served for this purpose, 

 but all of these objects found in the Little Colorado river graves were 

 bracelets. 



A number of. finger rings made from small specimens of Pectun- 

 eulus were found at Chaves pass. 



Two fragments of Pectunculus were fashioned in the .shape of gor- 

 gets. One of these, from Chevlon, was perforated with two holes; 

 the other was crescentic, with a single perforation. The latter was 

 found in a grave at Chevlon. 



Unworked specimens of Pectunculus were not numerous, but three 

 were found at the Chaves pass ruins, and one at Chevlon. In this 

 connection may likewise be mentioned a claj' 

 Imitation of a Pectunculus shell from Kisakobi, 

 the site of old Walpi. 



Two specimens from Chaves pass were 

 smeai'ed with a tenacious pitch and probably 

 formerly inerusted with turquoise, squared frag- 

 ments of which were found near by. 



Three species of Conus (C. fergusoni, C. 

 princeps, and C. regularis) were found in pre- 

 historic graves. These were favorite shells for 

 the manufacture of rattles, and they are still 

 used for that iiurjiose liy the Ilopis. The spire 

 was ground away on a plane at right angles to 

 the lip, making a conical object perforated at 

 the apex. The larger specimens (see figure 48) 

 were probably tied to a short crook, and wgre used as rattles with 

 which to beat time to the sacred songs. Smaller specimens, found in 

 great numbers on some of the skeletons, served as tinklers, and were 

 apparently tied to garments of the deceased in much tlie same fashion 

 that the tin cones are appended to the kilts of Snake priests in the 

 Snake dance. 



The number of specimens of Conus, especially of Conus princeps, 

 was large, and the majority were found at the ruin in Chaves pass. 

 One of the best preserved of the specimens is shown in figure 48. 

 This was probably a part of an ancient rattle, and the cut shows the 

 hole which formerly served as the place of suspension. Several of 

 the smaller specimens were found near the i^elvis of a skeleton, as 

 though they were formerly tied to kilts, as is suggested above. 



A single specinu^n of the Turritella shell was found at the Chevlon 

 ruin, but with the exception of a perforation near the lip it was not 

 worked. At the present day Turritella is so highly esteemed that 

 specimens of it are attached by a string to several of the tiponis, or 

 palladia, of religious societies. 



Fig. 48. Shell used for 

 rattle, from Chevlon 

 (number 157847). 



