274 ART IN SHELL OF THE ANCIENT AMERICANS. 



of growth are not sufficiently well preserved to permit a positive deter- 

 mination of the species. The substance of the shell is well preserved ; 

 the surface was once highly polished, but is now pitted and discolored 

 by age. The design is engraved on the concave surface as usual, and 

 the lines are accurately drawn and clearly cut. The various concen- 

 tric circles are drawn with geometric accuracy around a minute shal- 

 low pit as a center. These circles divide the surface into five parts — a 

 small circle at the center surrounded by four zones of unequal width. 

 The central circle is three-eighths of an inch in diameter, and is sur- 

 rounded by a zone one-half an inch in width, which contains a rosette 

 of three involuted lines ; these begin on the circumference of the inner 

 circle in three small equidistant perforations, and sweep outward to the 

 second circle, making upwards of half a revolution. These lines are 

 somewhat wider and more deeply engraved than the other lines of the 

 design. In many specimens they are so deeply cut in the middle part 

 of the curve as to penetrate the disk, producing crescent-shaped perfo- 

 rations. The second zone is one-fourth of an inch in width, and in 

 this, as in all other specimens, is quite plain. The third zone is one- 

 half an inch in width, and exhibits some very interesting features. 

 Placed at almost equal intervals we find six circular figures, each of 

 which incloses a circlet and a small central pit ; the spaces between the 

 circular figures are thickly dotted with minute conical pits, somewhat 

 irregularly placed ; the number of dots in each space varies from thirty- 

 six to forty, which gives a total of about two hundred and thirty. 



The outer zone is subdivided into thirteen compartments, in each of 

 which a nearly circular figure or boss has been carved, the outer edges 

 of which form the scalloped outline of the gorget. Two medium sized 

 perforations for suspension have been made near the inner margin of 

 one of the bosses next the dotted zone ; these show slight indications of 

 abrasion by the cord of suspension. These perforations, as well as the 

 three near the center, have been bored mainly from the convex side of the 

 disk. Whatever may be the meaning of this design, we cannot fail to 

 recognize the important fact that it is significant — that an idea is ex- 

 pressed. Were the design ornamental, we should expect variation in 

 the ijarts or details of different specimens resulting from difierence of 

 taste in the designers ; if simply copied from an original example for 

 sale or trade to the inhabitants we might expect a certain number of 

 exact reproductions ; but in such a case, when variations did occur, they 

 would hardly be found to follow uniform or fixed lines; there would also 

 be variation in the relation of the parts of the conception as well as in 

 the number of particular parts ; the zones would not follow each otjier 

 in exactly the same order ; particular figures would not be confined to 

 particular zones ; the rays of the volute would not always have a sin- 

 istral turn, or the form of tbe tablet be always circular and scalloped. 

 It cannot be supposed that of the whole number of these objects at one 

 time in use, more than a small number have been rescued from decay^ 



