194 ART IN SHELL OF THE ANCIENT AMERICANS. 



of the ocean in it, and paid for such a marvelous shell furs to the value 

 of $30 or $40, and even more." ' 



Cabega de Vaca* traded in sea-shells and " hearts " of sea-shells among 

 the Charruco Indians of the Gulf coast nearly three hundred and fifty 

 years ago. 



The form of vessel of most frequent occurrence is made by removing 

 the whorl, columella, and about one-half of the outer shell of the large 

 univalves. The body of the lower whorl is cut longitudinally, nearly 

 opposite the lip and parallel with it. The spire is divided on the same 

 plane, a little above the apex, giving a result well illustrated in Fig. 1, 

 Plate XXII. A very convenient and capacious bowl is thus obtained, 

 the larger specimens having a capacity of a gallon or more. The work 

 of dividing the shell and removing neatly the interior parts must have 

 been one of no little difiQculty, considering the compactness of the shell 

 and the rudeness of the tools. 



For nomadic peoples these vessels would have a great superiority over 

 those of any other material, as they were not heavy and could be trans- 

 ported without danger of breaking. 



In the manufacture of these vessels the Biisycon perversum seems to 

 have been a great favorite; this may be the result of the less massive 

 character of the shell, which permits more ready manipulation. The 

 spines are less prominent and the walls more uniform in thickness than 

 in shells of most other varieties found along the Atlantic seaboard. 

 Specimens of the Strotnbus, Cassis, and Fasciolaria were occasionally 

 used. The specimen illusbated in Fig. 1, Plate XXII, is from a mound 

 at Eitcherville, Ind., and is now in the National Museum at Washington. 

 It is made from a Busycon perversum, and is ten and one-half inches in 

 length by six and one-half in width at the most distended part. The body 

 and spire have been cut in the manner described above, and the interior 

 whorl and columella have been skillfully taken out. The rim is not very 

 evenly cut, but is quite smooth. The outer surface of the shell has been 

 well polished, but is now worn and scarred by use. Tlie substance of 

 the shell is very well i^reserved. A second example, now in the national 

 collection, is from an ancient mound at Naples, 111. It is very similar to 

 the preceding, being made from the same species of shell. It is eleven 

 inches in length by seven in width. The body of the shell is well pre- 

 served, the apex, however, being broken away. A small specimen, also 

 in the National Museum, was obtained from a mound at Nashville, Teun., 

 by Professor Powell. It is three and a half inches in length, and very 

 shallow, being but a small portion of the lower whorl of a Busycon. 



Among the more recent acquisitions to the national collection are 

 two very fine specimens of these Busycon vessels. One of these was 

 obtained from a mound at East Dubuque, 111. It is eleven inches 

 in length by seven in width at the widest part ; the exterior surface is 



' Kohl : Kitsohi-Gami, vol. I, p. 186, Rau, trans. 



'Cabefa de Vaca: Relation et Naufrages. Paris, 1837, ]}. 121. Spanish ed., 15.%. 



