B0UIE9.] 



USE OF BEADS. 



229 



national collection. This necklace was obtained from the Indians of 

 Kew Mexico by Lieutenant Whipple, and consists of three of these 

 shell ornaments, together with about fifty small porcelain beads. The 

 shell beads are strung at regular intervals. The specimen illustrated 

 is ornamented with a design in minute conical pits, arranged precisely 

 as are the circlets iu the crosses and encircling bands of the New York 

 and Ohio specimens. The edges and surfaces are much worn by use. 

 The substance of the shell is well preserved, and has an ivory -like ap- 

 pearance although in the specimen shown in the cut the lamination 

 of the shell is distinctly seen. The perforations in these three speci- 

 mens are quite sj'mmetrical, and suggest the use of machinery. The 

 method of perforation is identical in all these speciuiens, and will be 

 readily understood by reference to the two sections given in Figs. 5 

 and 6. All of these specimens are nearly circular ; but the regularity of 

 the outline is in some cases marred by shallow notches produced by 

 wear at the perforations. This wear has been accelerated by the abra- 

 sion of the small beads with which the disks have probably been strung. 



It will be noticed that there is quite a close resemblance between 

 these objects and the "runtees" of the early writers. Beverly gives an 

 illustration of an Indian boy who is described as wearing a necklace of 

 these "runtees," which " are made of the Conch Shell, as the Peak is, 

 only the Shape is flat and like a Cheese, and drill'd Edge-ways.'" A 

 portion of this illustration is copied in Fig. 5, Plate XXXVI. It will 

 be seen by reference to this cut that the manner of stringing corre- 

 sponds with the method in which the objects under consideration would 

 have to be strung. 



It is probable that the signification of the designs engraved upon 

 these ornaments will remain forever a matter of conjecture. It cannot 

 be aflirmed that the cross, which occurs on the faces of most of the 

 specimens, has any particular significance, although it may represent 

 the points of the compass. That it may have some emblematic mean- 

 ing is, however, not impossible. I have counted the number of circlets 

 on all of the specimens with which I am acquainted. The result is 

 shown iu the following table: 



In the cross. 



Lon^tndi- Transverse 

 nal arm. ana. 



In the 

 circle, ex- 

 elusive of 



Total. 



No. 1 (Pig. 1) , 

 No. 2 (Fig. 3) . 

 No. 3 (Fig. 2) . 



No. 4' 



No. 5' 



No. 82 



10 

 10 

 11 



12 



9 

 11 



23 

 27 

 23 



20 

 29 

 20 



41 



48 

 42 

 37 

 61 

 37 



'Schoolcraft: Notes on Iroqnois, p. 233. "From sketch by Mr. Beaachamp. 



The central circlet having been counted with each arm of the cross, the 

 total number of circlets in each specimen will be one less than the sum 

 of the three columns. 



' Beverly : History of Virginia, p. 145, Plate VI. 



