Marine Species 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: 3 unworked in cache, Late 

 Early period, might have been intrusive on large 

 Strombus included in cache. 

 ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: i unworked, For- 

 mative. 



TIKAL: 8 unmodified (M, p. 67, archaeological 

 context not noted). 



Comment: Although presence in caches at Dzibil- 

 chaltun might have been accidental, the consider- 

 ably larger number found at Tikal would indicate 

 intentional offerings of these unspectacular shells. 



Family: STROMBIDAE (conchs) 



Strombus costatus Gmelin 



Illustration: Plate4,i5i. 



Modern distribution: This is the common conch of 

 the sandy north-coast beaches. On the east coast, 

 it becomes rare from Holbox south, largely re- 

 replaced by S. gigas and others. On the northwest 

 and west coasts it becomes rarer, largely replaced 

 by S. pugilis. However, it is found as far south as 

 Niop, Camp., on the west coast, and Isla Lobos, 

 Chinchorro Bank on the east coast. Also found at 

 Alacran Reef. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: 412 unworked, 74 worked 

 from all periods (see Table 2). Used as tomb or 

 cache offerings, and as materials for jewelry and 

 artifacts. 



MAYAPAN: Proskouriakoff (P, pp. 384-85) 

 lists 10 complete, 9 cut spires, and 72 "altered 

 fragments," presumably mostly Decadent period, 

 all identified as S. gigas. She notes their use as 

 "trumpets" and as raw material for a variety of 

 artifacts. As this is the commonest as well as the 

 heaviest shell at the site, strong trade with the 

 Caribbean coast would be implied. However, her 

 illustrations (figs. 43, 47) show that this shell is 

 5. costatus, probably from the nearby shore. 

 ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 493 unworked, 

 Formative. 



Strombus gigas Linne 



Illustration: Plate 4, a, aa. 



Modern distribution: This is the common conch 

 along the Caribbean coast, from Turneffe Islands 

 to Isla Contoy, Q.R. Unreported on the north and 

 west coasts; prevalent on offshore atolls. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 1,871 unworked. 

 Formative. (Does not include 1,022 undifferenti- 

 ated fragments of Strombus which might have 

 been either costatus or gigas). 

 BARTON RAMIE: 37 unworked and worked 

 fragments, all but I are Classic or Postclassic (W, 

 pp. 526, 528). 



TIKAL: I unworked "probably gigas," not dated 

 (M-MS). 



UAXACTUN: 5 specimens with body whorl 

 removed, then pierced below shoulder for suspen- 

 sion, numerous other unworked fragments, pre- 

 sumably Classic (RR, p. 199, pi. 68,a). Kidder 

 K, p. 61) lists the species, perhaps on RR material, 

 but gives no further data. 



Strombus pugilis Linne 



Illustration: Plate ^,c. 



Modern distribution: This is the common conch of 

 the northwest and west coasts. West of Chuburna, 

 it gradually replaces S. costatus. It is rare east of 

 Progreso, and has been reported only as far south 

 as Isla Mujeres on the Caribbean. It also occurs 

 on the offshore atolls. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: i unworked fragment. For- 

 mative. 



MAYAPAN: i with "cut spire," presumably 

 Decadent period (P, fig. 47,^, not in text). 

 ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: i unworked. For- 

 mative. 



CHICHEN ITZA: i damaged specimen from the 

 Sacred Cenote, possibly worked (J. Ladd, per- 

 sonal communication). 



BARTON RAMIE: i perforated near columella 

 for suspension, broad groove cut from perforation 

 to shoulder on body whorl. Classic period (W, 



P- 507, fig- 5io,0- 



SAN JOSE: i unworked, with burial "perhaps 

 S.J. 11" (T, p. 1 80; this shell is illustrated and 

 further described in Richards and Boekelman, 

 1937, P- 169, pi. 6, no. 7). 



UAXACTUN: "One complete shell was the only 

 object found under Stela 5, Group B" (RR, p. 

 199); "a massive pendant made from the [per- 

 forated columella] of a large S. pugilis" (RR, p. 

 201, pi. 6ci,d,2\ archaeological context not noted). 

 Ricketson suggests that several of the crude Early 



