290 ART i:-4 SHELL OF THE ANCIENT AMERICANS. 



gest an interpretation. Among the thirty or forty specimens that I have 

 examined, the engraving of the serpent is, with one exception, phiced upon 

 the concave side of the disk, which is, as usual, cut from the most dis- 

 tended part of the Busycon perversum, or some similar shell. The great 

 uniformity of these designs is a matter of much surprise. At the same 

 time, however, there is no exact duplication ; there are always differ- 

 ences in position, detail, or number of parts. The serpent is always 

 coiled, the head occupying the center of the disk. With a very few 

 excejitions the coil is sinistral. The head is so placed that when the 

 gorget is suspended it has an erect position, the mouth opening toward 

 the right hand. 



As at iirsfc glance it will be somewhat difficult for the reader to make 

 out clearly the figure of the serpent, even with the well defined lines of 

 the drawing before him, I will present the description pretty much in 

 the order in which the design revealed itself to me in my first attempt 

 to decipher it. 



The saucer like disks are almost circular, the upper edge being mostly 

 somewhat straightened — the result of the natural limit of the body of the 

 shell above. All are ground down to a fairly uniform thickness of 

 from one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch. The edges are evenly rounded 

 and smooth. Two small holes for suspension occur near the rim of the 

 straighter edge, and generally on or near the outline of the eugraved 

 design, which covers the widdle portion of the plate. The diameter 

 ranges from one to six inches. 



■ To one who examines this design for the first time it seems a most 

 inexplicable puzzle; a raeiuingless grouping of curved and straight 

 lines, dots and perforations. We notice, however, a remarkable simi- 

 larity in the designs, the idea being radically the same in all specimens, 

 and the conclusion is soon reached that there is nothing haiihnzard in 

 the arrangements of the parts and that every line must have its jilace 

 and purpose. The design is in all cases inclosed by two parallel border 

 lines, leaving a plain belt from one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch in 

 width around the edge of the disk. All simple lines are firmly traced, 

 although somewhat scratchy, and are seldom more than one-twentieth 

 of an inch-in width or depth. 



In studying this design the attention is first attracted by an eye-like 

 figure near the left border. This is formed of a series of concentric 

 circles, the number of which varies from three in the most simple to 

 twelve in the more elaborate forms. The diameter of the outer circle 

 of this figure varies from one-half to one inch. In the center there is 

 generally a small conical depression or pit. The series of circles is par- 

 tially inclosed by a looped band one-eighth of an inch in width, which 

 opens downward to the left; the free ends extending outward to the 

 border line, gradually nearing each other and forming a kind of neck to 

 the circular figure. This band is in most cases occupied by a series of 

 dots or conical depressions varying in number from one to thirty. The 



