Because of recent interest in Welk beads and related Conch shell jewelry Paula Kinyon was kind enough to bring to the FredB show a large piece of Conch shell that shows actual manufacture in progress..

Heavy cut line at an important location....as will be seen in following pics, the smaller section perfectly matches an existing PENDANT and the larger portion perfectly matches an existing GORGET



Here is a pic of Paul at another show dislaying the Gorget....For a really good closeup....refer back to the front page extreme top L, click "SCREEN DIG ADVENTURES "...scroll down that little cursur on the right to 50%....Thats Hunter Kinyon on the actual finding day ( at Barksdale )



Here's the small section I found made into a single hole PENDANT ( found at the Church dig near Laguna TX )



Here's the external side of the big unfinished piece



As can be seen, most of the shell has been laboriously cut to exact shape ( rather than smashing it into smaller bits with a bone cracking Chopper )

Tks for the show Paul & Hunter

Great photos and report. Here is what I know...
1. The large unfinished shell in the photo was found in Kerr Co. TX (long way from the coast) and has a Dwain Rogers COA on it.
2. The material is whelk shell. Whelk shell is a very tough, hard material to work by hand.
3. I learned how to spell whelk (not spelled welk).
4. The pendant and gorget match up perfectly with the scored line on this unfinished artifact.

Here is what I think I know...
1. The original owner of such a gorget or pendant would have a very high status in their group or tribe.
2. Finders of such artifacts are very lucky to find them, way to go Hal and Hunter.

As usual, a very interesting and informative report put together by Hal. Many thanks.
Paul

Hal, whats going on with you and my brother. first you call him Paula and then you talk sexy to him in german? or i lost something in translation. [

i dont even have a comeback for that one. touche

Ok here's my contribution, that white cylindrical thing at the top is a bead I found a while back. I was told it may be whelk at the temple show, but no-one I talked to knew for sure. My question is as hard as the material is how they drilled a hole that tiny in it? I've seen some micro drills but nothing as narrow as the hole in the center of this item. Anyways it's the only worked shell piece I've found and I'm pretty proud of it, even though it's just a mundane bead. It really pales in comparison to the two items y'all found lol.
But regardless I'm obligated to ask whaddya think?

I think the bead is an awesome find. I always wondered how they got a hole in beads made of rock, shell, and bone. Must have been patient and taken a lot of time.

Tuck, Based on Redmans' input some months ago, It's my understanding that beads like yours ( and FloTwns recent aquisition ) is the interior of the Whelk ( Paul K take note of spelling )

In nature that interior hollow probably tapers from zip to fairly wide. Your small holed item cut from the zip end and tother end for Flo's..

Showing your CT at Temple will a great addition to all the other treasures that will be be there.

This display is the actual Whelk materials unearthed at the Cahokia mounds and is on display in the museum.

How far is it from Cahokia to the nearest place you could pick up a whelk shell?

About 500 miles.