Marine Spf.cies 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: i8 unworked, in all periods 

 except Decadent (Table 2), mostly Formative. 

 MAYAPAN: i valve listed (P, fig. 4^,b) as 

 "Cardium, unidentified species," probably is T. 

 muricatum. Probably Decadent period. 

 ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 2 unworked, For- 

 mative. 



TIKAL: 4 unmodified, archaeological context 

 not given (M, p. 67). 



UAXACTUN: I entire and i fragment, unmodi- 

 fied in cache under Stela A-n (RR, p. 199; K, 

 p. 61 as "Cardium muricatum"). 

 PIEDRAS NEGRAS: In Late Classic cache (C, 

 p. 55 as "Cardium muricatum") . 



Dinocardium robustum vanhyningi Clench and 

 L. C. Smith 



Illustration: Plate i8,d,dd. 



Modern distribution: From Isla Contoy at north tip 

 of east coast to Isla Carmen, Camp. Very common 

 on north coast. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: i drilled for suspension 

 near ventral margin, coated on both surfaces with 

 red pigment. Formative; 418 unworked, mostly 

 Formative, but nevertheless frequent in later de- 

 posits (Table 2). Surprisingly, only 3 occurrences 

 of reasonably entire valves of this hardy shell: i 

 in foundation of undated house-mound; i in 

 Cenote Xlacah, presumably an offering; 16 per- 

 fect specimens carefully nested, formed all of 

 Cache i, Str. 38, Late Early period. 

 MAYAPAN: D. robustum Solander is listed but 

 is almost certainly this subspecies; frequency or 

 date, although probably Decadent period, not 

 listed. This shell clearly not as important as it was 

 at Dzibilchaltun (P, p. 387; her fig. 46,0, cap- 

 tioned as unidentified Cardium, is probably this 

 subspecies). 



TIKAL: 34 unmodified, i perforated (M, p. 66, 

 age not noted). 



ComivTent: The Cardiidae are the most numerous 

 family of molluscs at Dzibilchaltun, although almost 

 never used for jewelry or artifacts and not common 

 as votive offerings. Were these imported in the shell 

 and used for food.? 



Family: VENERIDAE (venus clams) 



29 



Antigona listeri (Gray) 



Illustration: Plate i(),a,aa. 



Modern distribution: Caribbean coast, from Belize 

 to Isla Contoy, Q.R. Offshore atolls. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 4 unworked, For- 

 mative. 



Antigona rigida (Dillwyn) 



Illustration: Plate 19,^'. 



Modern distribution: Collected only at Isla Cancun, 

 Q.R., and Cayo Areas. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 2 unworked. For- 

 mative. 



Mercenaria campechiensis (Gmelin) 



Illustration: Plate t.<^,c,cc. 



Modern distribution: North and west coasts, com- 

 mon from Isla Holbox, Q.R., to Isla Carmen, 

 Camp. Cayo Areas. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: 46 unworked, mosdy For- 

 mative but found in Early period and Copo com- 

 plex deposits (Table 2); 3 worked, two incom- 

 plete specimens, one perhaps a broken triangular 

 pendant. Formative; i partially cut fragment. Late 

 Early period. 



UAXACTUN: i unworked, in Chicanel deposit 

 (K, p. 61, "Venus campechiensis"). 



Chione cancellata (Linne) 



Illustration: Plate I9,</. 



Modern distribution: Entire periphery of the penin- 

 sula, Turneffe Islands, B.H., to Isla Carmen, 

 Camp. The commonest shell on the north coast. 

 Also found on the offshore atolls. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: 76 unworked, commonest 

 in Formative, 3 perforated for suspension (2 For- 

 mative; I Late Early period) (Table 2). Found as 

 offerings in i tomb and 3 caches of Late Early 

 period. 5 specimens found in mortar of a small 

 section of Str. 500 (Formative). 

 MAYAPAN: 3 unworked, probably Decadent 

 period (P, fig. 44,/, not in text). 

 TIKAL: 25 unmodified (M, p. 66, age not listed). 



Anomalocardia cuneimeris (Conrad) 



Illustration: Plate I9,e. 



Modern distribution: Very common on entire pe- 



