Any ideas?

[Broken knee]

I wish I found these, well I did at an estate sale in my town could anyone give some insight as to the shells like where they come from?And are they from fresh or salt water.
I don't know if the shells are related as Indian or not? The points I would like to get some info on as well? I wonder if the shells were a necklace at one time, most have the end cut off?
Thanks, BK

 

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[GatorBoy]

What state are you in?
The material of the stone artifacts appear to be quartz and rayholite.
One being crystal quarts.
They look authentic and my guess would be they came from the coastal area of North or South Carolina.
The shells look to me like that of a saltwater Marsh type area..or Mabey the Chesapeake bay.
They were probably associated with the artifacts and remains of meals.
The ends look to be removed to cut through the mussel in order to remove the snail.
Just my guess.

 

[Broken knee]

I'm in Massachusetts, not that these came from here I don't know? I Just bought the box.what time period do you think the points are the awl is the first one in my collection.HH

BK

 

[GatorBoy]

It looks like a mix of archaic and woodland to me.
I think the crystal one is probably a small morrow mountain with a chip on one side of the base.
Here are a few points from North Carolina for comparison.



I know very little about Mass.
Mabey..check what materials local points are made of to see if its the same.

 

[Tnmountains]

Broken Knee
There are fresh water snails from the Tennessee river area out of shell middens in plowed fields. Ancient food remains. They are not the same as yours. The Indians ate many species to near extinction then pollution got the rest. Sounds like Gator nailed it on salt water and being a food source associated with the artifacts.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

The Shells with the holes in the ends are Olivella Shells and are more than likely Beads.

This tray has some on the left hand side.

 

[mr_rich]

I pulled one from my yard the other day its possible it was a bead because the Tomoka state park is right across the water from me

 

[GatorBoy]

Just saying..there is loads of them here in the shell trash piles with all the broken oyster shells all broken off on the ends.
Every once in a while I found one away from the piles of discarded food remains but still on a site that appeared to be more "groomed" and thought they were beads.
The ones used as food are all just broken on the end..here anyway.
Even nowhere near a site just picking shells up at the beach most are broken right on the tip.

 

[GatorBoy]

My girl just picked this one up today.
I can see why beads would be made of them.

 

[mr_rich]

Nice, I'm going to poke around by the side of my house and see if any more of these are out there in the same spot. I'm just curious now.

 

[Broken knee]

I live in western Ma. so if these were used as food OK, but I'm 2/3 Hr. by car to the ocean that leads me to think that it was a necklace. Most of the shells are the same, 2 are long with a hole in approximately the same spot the ones that have ridges are not holed on the ends? HH
BK

 

[GatorBoy]

Cool artifacts..
I just re-read your initial post..I don't remember reading that you thought they might be a necklace when I first read it.
I researched the lithic material of your state and found that quartz is abundant there so they are probably local to you.
Nice save at the estate sale.

 

[Tnmountains]

The Shells with the holes in the ends are Olivella Shells and are more than likely Beads.

This tray has some on the left hand side.

I agree with Steve on the small ones . Those beadS travelled far even to Tennessee. You can re string them.




I just read where they were used as currency by the tribes in California also


UC Davis: Prized Writing : The Role of Olivella Shell Currency in a Burgeoning Prehistoric California Economy

 

[Broken knee]

Well that's funny I went back there today to get more old books and started talking to the lady and I asked if she knew where they came from she thought cal. but was not sure so it's possible? HH...
BK

 

[dbag1969]

Broken Knee
There are fresh water snails from the Tennessee river area out of shell middens in plowed fields. Ancient food remains. They are not the same as yours. The Indians ate many species to near extinction then pollution got the rest. Sounds like Gator nailed it on salt water and being a food source associated with the artifacts.


View attachment 872251

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with your inference that Native American hunter gatherers could cause extinction or near extinction of any aquatic species, let alone cause environmental pollution..You might as well blame it on birds or fish. The sparsely populated ,scattered and constantly moving NA cultures lived in harmony with nature. I would put my money on the 'Industrial Revolution' and the subsequently devastating insensitive agricultural practices imo.