Valshni Village, Shellwork

Excavations
at
Valshni
Village,
Arizona


	Cover Copyright 2002 Editor's Foreword 1973 Editor's Foreword Author's Preface Table of Contents List of Figures List of Tables Regional & vicinity maps Introduction Habitat Methods Dating Architecture
		Vamori Topawa
	Non-architectural Features Pottery
		Local Intrusive
	Misc. Clay Objects Burial Stonework Bonework Shellwork Summary and Conclusions Appendix: Canal Bibliography 2000 notes


	Shellwork


Shellwork was relatively abundant at Valshni Village. Eighty-four items are listed in the following summary. There were many more fragments of bracelets, pendants, and other bits of shell too fragmentary to classify.
Beads
	Disc Beads
		Total sample:
			3
		Species:
			Pecten
		Size:
			5.5 - 10 mm.
		Remarks:
			These are similar to the disc beads found at Snaketown in the Santa Cruz and Sacaton Phases (Gladwin et al., 1937: Figure 54, a and b).

	Tubular Beads
		Total sample:
			1
		Species:
			vermetus
		Size:
			Length:
				1.4 cm.
			Diameter:
				0.6 cm.
		Remarks:
			This bead is similar to the cylindrical type which first appeared at Snaketown in the late Santa Cruz Phase (Gladwin et al., 1937: Figure 54, c). This bead differs in that the perforation is the same diameter throughout.
Figure 28. Shellwork (Courtesy Arizona State Museum)
	a - e - whole shell pendants f - modified umbo bracelet g - unmodified umbo bracelet h - she11 disc i - ring j - carved shell pendant
		Higher resolution image (1160 x 822 pixels, 156 KB)


Pendants
	Whole Shell Pendants (Fig. 28, a - e)
		Type I
			Total sample:
				16
			Species:
				Pecten
			Phase:
				Vamori, 10 Topawa, 2 unplaced, 2
			Remarks:
				Perforated at umbo.
		Type II
			Total sample:
				1
			Species:
				conus
			Phase:
				Vamori
			Remarks:
				Perforated through the side; the spire end was not ground off.
		Type III
			Total sample:
				1
			Species:
				Cerithium
			Phase:
				Vamori
		Type IV
			Total sample:
				1
			Species:
				Glycymeris (small)
			Phase:
				Vamori
			Remarks:
				Manufactured by grinding the shell around the umbo; there is a perforation through the umbo.
Figure 29. Shellwork (Courtesy Arizona State Museum)
	a, carved bird b - c, carved pendants.
Cut Shell Pendants
	Total sample:
		6
	Species:
		Pecten, 3 Glycymeris, 3
	Phase:
		Vamori, 4 Topawa, 2
	Remarks:
		Two of these pendants were cut in the form of animals (Fig. 29, b, c); three were in geometric shapes (Fig. 28, j); one was too fragmentary to classify.
Bracelets
	Total sample:
		43
	Type I
		Sample:
			20
		Characteristic:
			Modified umbo (Fig. 28, f)
		Phase:
			Vamori
	Type II
		Sample:
			19
		Characteristic:
			Unmodified umbo (Fig. 28,g)
		Phase:
			Vamori, 8 Topawa, 5 Unplaced, 6
	Remarks:
		Every one of the shell bracelets with one exception was of the species Glycymeris; the one exception was unidentified. Almost every shell bracelet was perforated at the umbo; some may have been used as pendants. Every modified umbo bracelet occurred in the Vamori Phase. Only one bracelet fragment was found which had an incised pattern on the exterior.
Rings (Fig. 28, i)
	Total sample:
		7
	Species:
		Glycymeris
	Phase:
		Vamori
	Remarks:
		Three specimens have modified umbos; one of these has a groove around the middle of the outside.
Discs (Fig. 28, h)
	Total sample:
		2
	Species:
		Pecten

	Size:
		1.4 cm. in diameter
	Phase:
		Vamori
	Remarks:
		One disc was not perforated, while the second exhibits the evidence for the beginning of a central perforation.
Miscellaneous
	Total sample:
		1
	Form:
		Bird (Fig. 29, a)
	Species:
		Pecten
	Phase:
		Vamori
	Size:
		Originally, 7.0 cm. wide; 2.4 cm. high
	Remarks:
		This was not a pendant, as there is no perforation. The craftsmanship shown on this bird is excellent. The edges and sides were smoothed down.
Discussion Shellwork was well represented at Valshni Village and rare at Jackrabbit Ruin (Scantling, 1940:58-60). The shellwork of the Vamori and Topawa Phases presaged the shellwork of the Sells Phase except for bead types and a shell trumpet at Jackrabbit Ruin. These beads and the trumpet have no known precursors in Papagueria. The carved shell shows, in part, a high degree of craftsmanship; however, it is not known whether these were locally manufactured or traded in. The ornament types at Valshni Village are very similar to those of the Hohokam to the north. It appears quite possible that local craftsmen did not produce the more finely crafted shell items.

. Shellwork

Shellwork

Discussion