Whelk Shell

[BeachComber7]

Before I posted this, I checked on line to see other shells and it seems the holes to extract the meat and use the shell as a tool, vary in size. This was found last year on the beach. I don't know how to check the shell to see if it was used as a tool though but in any case, it's a nice whelk!

 

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[Harry Pristis]

Before I posted this, I checked on line to see other shells and it seems the holes to extract the meat and use the shell as a tool, vary in size. This was found last year on the beach. I don't know how to check the shell to see if it was used as a tool though but in any case, it's a nice whelk!

More or less intact shell were used as hammers, so look for crushing damage to the tip of the spire at the anterior of the shell. That tip is the end of the columella, the strong spine of the shell. (I don't see such damage on this example.)

 

[GatorBoy]

If Tom Clark sees this he has some real nice examples. I just picked up a cupple I had handy.there doesn't seem to be a lot of people with a lot of experience with shell tools on here Tom is certainly one. I however do know a little. The whelk you have there is broken at it's weakest point. That's just where they break in the surf. The way to tell it was used as a tool to me would first be the context it was found in... next would be does it fit the profile of tools in that area. www.aboriginalantiquities.com has some examples. Just Google artifact shell hammer tool. Last would be usage wear. It helps to know how they were used so you know where to look for wear. Here are a few I have to show wear and hafting. Many will also have at least one hole in the front for cordage to run through.

 

[BeachComber7]

No Harry i do not see any damage either. But thank you for explanation. I also noted that the hole does not go all the way through, so this is not what I hoped it was. It's still a nice shell though!

 

[BeachComber7]

I see. Hard item to find in a real picture to see what it looks like, many drawings available though. I will do more research. Thanks Bill!

 

[tomclark]

The outer lip of that shell has been modified, thickened, by man, IMHOP. I'm looking at the little chips along that edge, quite regular and I've seen a lot of them. The siphonal canal is also shortened, though maybe not by man. The projections on the spire have been smoothed, nature or not??.... the big hole is for meat extraction. I think this is a blank/preform, unless as Harry said they just started bashing with it..you'll see bashing damage along the widest part of the shell if they were using it that way. They selected particularly robust specimens within a species for tool use and tool blanks are common finds. Is it possible this was dredged up from an inundated site?? Busycon.

 

[BeachComber7]

Thanks Tom, this was on the beach last year so it came from the ocean. I guess the surf damaged it.

 

[GTK96]

I think i found one in marco island, FL near otter mound...

 

[tomclark]

Bingo, GTk!! Pecked hole in the proper place, lip made thicker, spire projections taken off. Many of these do not have the notch, just the hafting hole. Looks like the business end broke off, many times they just renewed it if they could.

 

[BeachComber7]

Now that i know what to look for as far as the location of the pecking hole and the projections taken off, I will have to look through all my shells! Here are 2 whelks I found in a river. I think they are what you call 'worked' but I am not sure. I have so many shells to go thru!!

 

[centfladigger]

hammers and anvil from a site Tom and I dug

 

[tomclark]

Classic boom!

 

[BeachComber7]

That's one big clam shell!

 

[GatorBoy]

Ha ha .... I'm not even going to say it.