Tiny Shell Beads

[OntarioArch]

Found among Old Timer's collection with no provenance, I assume these are shell....but could they be bone? What delicate workmanship!




Picture of bone beads shown below is from Larson1951 several years ago.

 

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[arrow86]

Nice, some real treasures your finding in there

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I'd have to see them in person to say for sure but they look like small sections of cut and snapped bird bone. I have really small ones like that from Ft Ancient sites. There may be a few Shell Discs in there too. The big one at the top looks like Shell.

 

[dirstscratcher]

The ones with irregular shaped holes appear to be bone, but they have an odd appearance either from being burned and partially ossified, or possibly buried in something that formed the white coating. If they were burned, they will be extremely fragile. Still. a nice representation of beads.

 

[joshuaream]

I'd have to see them in person to say for sure but they look like small sections of cut and snapped bird bone. I have really small ones like that from Ft Ancient sites. There may be a few Shell Discs in there too. The big one at the top looks like Shell.

I concur with Steve's (and others) observation. Scored & cut bone.