Possible artifacts

[Boringrat]

Just wondering if the Indians took oyster shells and shaved them down to use for jewelry or tools? I found this shell along a lake where I sometimes come across pottery. Also found what looks like a gator tooth but hollow and a small hole on the tip or the tooth or bone

 

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[liftloop]

That pointy thing is
big foots stone
for doing up a number
so he doesn't burn his fingers
on the roach

 

[Lafitte Deux]

Yes. Some Indian tribes did use shells to fashion jewelry.
You'll probably get more info if you post this in the North American Artifacts forum.
Hope that helps.

 

[TheNewCatfish]

You might be on to something. The holes in those shells sure do look manufactured. Lived in New Orleans my entire life and i've shucked (thousands) of oysters. Never saw any holes like that. Anybody who's handled the shells, knows the edges are as sharp as (razor blades). It would make one heck of a good skinning tool or exacto-knife. A piece of flint is about the only thing i've seen in nature that can rival the edge on an oyster shell for sharpness. Only the very, very experienced, or very foolish rookie would attempt to shuck hundreds of oysters (barehanded).

 

[TheNewCatfish]

You might want to send those pictures and an e-mail to the museum in New Orleans. If oyster shells were used by indians as tools, i'm sure they'd know about some examples. Indians are known to have traded for natural resources with other tribes over great distances. Thousands of miles. Cabeza de Vacca (Conquistador-Explorer), captured by hostile indians worked his way out of captivity by becoming a regional trader between tribes in the South West.

 

[Boringrat]

Thanks guys that oyster shell is the most obvious one but I also have another shell the was chipped down with a hole in it. I'm going to try and find a picture.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

The holes in shells can be caused naturally by certain predatory snails, and Scotch Bonnets.