Archaeological Moluscus

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Archaeological use and distributio
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National Geographic Society -Tulane University
Program of Research
in
Yucatan
The Archaeological Use and Distribution

of Mollusca in the
Maya Lowlands
E. Wyllys Andrews
IV
Publication 34
Middle American Research Institute
Tulane University
New
1969
Orleans
PUBLISHED WITH THE AID OF A GRANT FROM
THE FORD FOUNDATION

MARGARET
A. L.
HARRISON
ROBERT WAUCHOPE
Editors

of Mollusca in the
Maya Lowlands
Frontispiece Two Maya paintings of the sea, murals in the Chac Mool Temple, buried under the Temple of the Warriors at Chichen Itza. Modified Florescent period. (From Morris, Chariot, and Morris, 1931, pis. 139, 159).
National Geographic Society -Tulane University
Program of Research
in
Yucatan

of Mollusca in the
Maya Lowlands
E. Wyllys
Andrews IV
Publication 34
Middle American Research Institute
Tulane University
New
1969
Orleans
F
T<15~
Contents
Introduction
i
Annotated Checklist of Marine Species Annotated Checklist of Freshwater Species

Annotated Checklist of Land Species
Discussion
35 35
32
34
Ecology
Trade
41
Temporal Factors
Use of
Use of
45
Shells as Votive Offerings Shells as
48
Ornaments
Material
53 56 56
Use
of Shell as
Raw
as
Use of Molluscs
Food
Summary and Conclusions

Appendix
60
107
Archaeological Occurrences of Other Marine Invertebrates

hi
113
References
Index of Molluscan Species
Illustrations
Frontispiece
Two Maya paintings of the

Maya
area
sea.
Text Figures
1.
Map
of the
and adjacent regions
2.
3.
Ecological provinces of the Yucatan littoral
36
Trade
the
relations suggested
by archaeological finds of Mollusca in
Maya lowlands
life
4. Dzibilchaltun, Str. 38,

5.
44 Cache
51
Str. 1,
Marine
as seen
on the facade of
Dzibilchaltun
54
6.
Tinklers from a private collection in Merida
55
Plates
1. Fissurellidae,
Trochidae, Turbinidae
65
2.
3.
Neritidae, Littorinidae
67
Vermetidae, Turritellidae, Planaxidae, Cerithiidae, Calyptraeidae,

Naticidae
69
45.
Strombidae
71
Cypraeidae, Ovulidae
73 75
6.
Cassididae and miscellaneous small gastropods
7 8
Cymatiidae, Tonnidae, Ficidae
77
Muricidae
79
81
9 10
Melongenidae
Melongenidae, Fasciolariidae
83 85
11. Miscellaneous large gastropods

12. Olividae,
Conidae
87
13- Arcidae,
Glycymeridae
89
91
Mytilidae, Isognomonidae, Pteriidae

J 5-
Pinnidae, Plicatulidae, Pectinidae, Spondylidae, Limidae,
Anomiidae, Carditidae
93
95
16. Ostreidae, Corbiculiidae, Lucinidae 17.
Chamidae
Veneridae
97 99
101
18. Cardiidae
19.
20. Tellinidae, Mactridae 21. Miscellaneous gastropods
103
and pelecypods
105
Tables1.
Archaeological occurrence and

at
modern
distribution of molluscs found
lowland Maya
sites
37
2. 3.
Archaeological shell from Dzibilchaltun
46
57
Marine molluscs from
Isla
Cancun Midden, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Acknowledgments
The National Geographic

sity
SocietyTulane Univer-
Educacion Publica of Mexico, through the Instituto

Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, which will be
the repository of the collections described.
for help
Program of Research
at Dzibilchaltun, of
which
the present studies form a part, operated under
Thanks
grants from the National Science Foundation and

the
and guidance are due the
late
Dr. Eusebio
American Philosophical
Society.
The
illustra-
Davalos Hurtado, Director of the
Instituto, as well
tions for this paper

in the
were prepared and processed
as the several Directors of Prehispanic
Monuments
National Geographic Society photographic
and
their
Yucatan representatives during our long
laboratory.
period of work.
AH
archaeological
work has been done under

of,
contract with,
and direction
the Secretaria de
J December 1966
Introduction
In the excavations at Dzibilchaltun between 1956
the largest body of comparative material available.
and 1965, over 2300

other forms of marine
facts
identifiable
marine
shells
and
Much
tified
of their collection has not been finally iden-
fragments appeared, in addition

life.
to
remains of
many
by species, and data on archaeological associI
large
number
its
of artioriginal
It
ation have, of course, not been completed.
have
were made of
shell
which had
was
so lost
drawn
ful for
heavily
on Hattula Moholy-Nagy's summary

and
I
form that the
species
unidentifiable.
soon
of material collected through 1962,
am
grate-
became
clear that the sea, only 10 miles north of

life
her generosity in
notes
making
available
manu-
the ruins, played a very significant role in the

of the ancients. This role
script
on further
a
collections
through 1964,
was
multiple one. Marine
which furnished
the checklist.
number
of additional entries in
animals, from
their frequent appearance in
tombs
and ceremonial caches and portrayal

were important in ceremonial
luscs
life.
in sculptures,
The
present report summarizes
some 15,000
ar-
Fish and mol-
chaeological specimens of 192 species from 18
sites.
appear to have been
much
used as food.
Much
At some
sites, shells
were never
all
identified
below the
necessity
of the jewelry
and
artifacts at the site
were made of
generic level, and at

true of certain shells.
sites this
was of
several molluscan species,
and we cannot escape the
These items are not included

few instances where
se,
conclusion that
Maya
of old, as
we of today,
collected
in the tabulations except in the
many
modes
attractive shells of
it
no
utilitarian value
simply
that
the presence of a genus seemed important per
or
because
pleased them.
It
also
became apparent
some
significant alteration
made
the specimen of
in shell-collecting
and usage
as well as trade
particular interest.
If
varied greatly from period to period in history.
geographic distributions and taxonomic iden-
As
in
to
the Dzibilchaltun collection
is
by far the largest

yet taken
tifications
seem overly
precise or sophisticated in
an
and chronologically most comprehensive

Yucatan (and
will probably be so for
it
area as yet virtually

it is
some time
from our
undocumented malacologically, because we have drawn heavily on a manuscript

of the Yucatan Peninsula
come), we believe
worthwhile
to
review in some
on the ecological distribution and make-up of the
detail the exact identification of material
modern molluscan fauna
own
site
and that previously reported from Yucatan.

unpublished collection of some
now
in
preparation by the present author.
More
We have included an
6500 molluscs from
coast of Isla
than 15,000 specimens of over 600 species have been

catalogued from more than 50 stations from the
a shell
midden on
the Caribbean
Cancun, Quintana Roo. This midden,

I
TurnefTe Islands, British Honduras, around the peninsula to the
representing a brief Late Formative occupation,
Laguna de Terminos
in
Campeche,
excavated in 1963 (Andrews, 1965, pp. 4245).

I
and on the
distant atolls at the outer edge of the
have attempted to establish original provenience
Campeche Bank.
Most archaeological reports have
phabetically by genera
listed shells al-
of the specimens for clues to early trade.

listing
is
Under each
a reference to any
new
or published knowl-
and
species within genera.
edge regarding use and association, as well as age

of the deposits in
This
is
convenient for the reader unfamiliar with
which the specimens were found.

forms from- the southern
zoology but has the disadvantage that closely related

shells
(e.g.,
lie
Comparison with the Yucatan material may be made

with reported marine
life
Area and Noetia or Arcopagia and

at different
Tellina)
ends of the
list,
making
Maya
Peten
lowlands, including the British

sites
Honduras and
species
discussions of the groups difficult

discussions will be rather lengthy,
listings
I
and clumsy. As
have drawn up
in phylogenetic
and Copan, but only with items of un-
usual interest from farther afield.
Some
have
under families and genera
not been reported archaeologically from Yucatan,
order, generally following the
scheme used by Abbott

listed in alphabet-
but have appeared at other lowland
sites
and are
(1954). Species within genera are

ical
common
in coastal waters of the peninsula.

still
order.
For the convenience of readers

difficulty,
is
to
whom
Syno-
Excavations
in progress
by the University of
this
ordering offers
an alphabetical index
at the end.
Pennsylvania
at Tikal,
Guatemala, have contributed
by genera and species
added
Alocran Reef
Son Felipe
Rio Lagortos
GULF OF MEXICO
Slsaj,
Dzilam Bravo Minas de Oro
El
Cuyo
Cabo Cotoche
Chavlhou
Telchac Puerto
Dolores
mTT uburirio,^F*'' C hub u/0 g^'*'"*^,& * <7 s a

tf
Pro g r e so^^^L^^z
*\
XDZIBIU LCHAUTUN
ISLA
Trlongulos Reefs
CANCUN MIDDEN
Merido
YUCATAN
OXKLNTOK
--
C
ISLA
JAIN A
J_
l CALCEHTOK
A M
CH1CHEN
"TZA-L
XBALANKANCHE
Kaua
-LUXMAL KABAHi-
tsla
Corumel
J-LOLTUN J-LABNA
Bohla de La Ascension
*Champoton
r
Chenkan
quintana
..... Ciudod Carmen
C
fclsla
roo
(
CARIBBEAN SEA
j/t^CayoNorf
Chlnchoro Bonk
Aguada
L^?
do
î
Tormlnos
CAMPEC
Lake Bacaiar
HE
(/yL
ZacalQl^J^LOguno
GULF OF
HONDURAS
CHIAPAS
GUATEMALA
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Fig.
Map
of the
Maya
area,
showing
locations
mentioned
in the checklists.
Introduction
nyms have not been

some confusion
in
listed
except
when
there
is
too fragmentary to give a proper impression of the

shell, a
in the literature or recent
change
complete specimen from our modern
collec-
taxonomy.
I
tion
felt
is
added
to the illustration beside the

shells are
fragment
had long
that publication of photographs of
it
amplifies.
These modern
designated by
often fragmentary
field reports
unworked
shells in archaeological
double lowercase
italic letters (aa,
bb, cc).
was an unnecessary expense, one which intended to avoid. However, in the course of I preparating this report, I realized that two factors
Some
of the fragments illustrated
may seem
to
be
slim grounds for identification, but those published
here are reasonably certain.
small fragment of
made such
illustration strongly desirable. First, dur-
hinge
is
usually sufficient for immediate identifica-
ing the continuous change and rearrangement which

characterizes
specific
all
tion of pelecypod
genus and often
species,
and
final
zoological taxonomy, generic

(e.g., of
and
the
identification can be often aided by a process of elim-
terms rapidly become obsolete

p.
ination.
For example, a small part of the ligamental

it
18 Atlantic molluscs listed on

Artifacts of Uaxactun,
61 of Kidder's
area of an ark shell identifies
as Noetia; there
in
is
is
of the
names have become
only one species of Noetia

lantic waters; ergo
known
American AtTV.
obsolete since publication in 1947). Often, without
our specimen
ponderosa.
the actual specimen or a photograph at hand,

difficult
it
is
Similarly, a relatively tiny fragment of gastropod
to be sure
to
which taxon these obsolete
can often be precisely identified by comparison with

purposely broken modern specimens from the area.
names
refer.
Second, because of their poor preservation and
We
have been greatly helped by Harold and Emily
sometimes fragmentary condition, identification of

archaeological shells
errors are
is
Vokes, invertebrate palaeontologists from Tulane

University, both specializing in Tertiary and Re-
often extremely difficult and
bound
to occur.
As reference
collections
cent Mollusca. Their job, like the archaeologist's,
and knowledge of the

misidentifications
if
local
fauna increase, these
has often
required precise identification of
fossil
may
often be corrected, but only
material from small fragments, so our problem
was
the originals or clear photographs are at hand.

is
by no means
to
For example, the large conch Strombus costatus

extremely
new to them. They were kind enough spend many days in the field with us working
collections (in the course of
common on
the north coast of Yucatan.

it is
on the archaeological
On
the Caribbean coast of the peninsula,
almost
many weeks
discussion.
helping with our present project), and

in this
entirely replaced
by the larger and quite distinct
have checked every identification presented
form
coast.
shells
S. gigas,
which never appears on the north

identifiable
Without
their help,
we would have been
At Dzibilchaltun, 486
and fragments were
all
Strombus
extremely hesitant to publish these pages. Thanks

are also due to Dr.
of costatus, as
would
Alan Solem of the Field
Museum
to
be expected from gathering on the nearby coast.

Proskouriakoff (1962, pp. 38485,
figs.
of Natural History,
who
not only identified land
43, 47),
and freshwater molluscs, but was kind enough

check
in
however, reported the
common
large conch at
Maya-
manuscript the corresponding two annexes
pan
to be S. gigas,
which would imply
a lack of
to the checklist.
access to the neighboring north coast
and unneces200
shall
The modern
are
strictly
distributions, unless otherwise noted,
sary trade in bulk with the Caribbean coast over
peninsular,
not implying presence or
miles
away
across
Quintana Roo. This,

hand. Without
as
we
absence in other adjacent or remote areas.

reflect
They
see below,
would be
in direct contradiction to
much
only the specimens in our
own
collection;
we
other evidence
the reader
tion,
now on
illustration,
have not yet collated the scattered peninsular reportings in malacological

literature.
would be forced
to accept this identifica-
As noted above,
sufficiently
but with Proskouriakoff's excellent illustrations

is
our collection of larger species has been

intensive to
the problem
quickly resolved.
The specimens
are
make most
of the geographical listings
clearly the north coast costatus, not the east coast
approximately correct. But

that
it is still
we must
bear in
mind
gigas.
only a sampling and that some species
For these reasons, we are

tion
illustrating
our
collec-
surely have a larger range
on the peninsula than we
and
also
going a step further.
On
plates
1 21,
have indicated.
the archaeological specimens are designated by single lowercase italic letters (a, b, c).
Although some recent sources have attempted

to
Where
these are
distinguish
between complete
specimens
and
4
fragments,
MoLLUSCA IN THE MAYA LOWLANDS

sometimes estimating the number of sometimes by simply translating the Latin binomial
(often with
fascinating
results,
it,
complete specimens represented by fragments,
we
e.g.
"Rigid
decided not to attempt this distinction in the tabulations.
Venus"), sometimes by reversing

using the
sometimes by
The
metric volume of our excavations, chosen
name
of the author of the species or the

it
for elucidation of stratigraphic or architectural prob-
person in whose honor

Triton,"
was named
(e.g.
"von
Salis'
lems (and frequently
to enlarge the
sample of rare
"Doc
Bales'
Ark"). In
this area, of course,
ceramic forms), would almost never correspond to
popular names would have been in
Spanish or
any definable percentage of
total
occupational debris
of
Maya. But normally

the generic level
malacologist.
differentiation of shells below
which could make an estimate
the
original
would be
of
of interest only to the

scope,
number
volume
of entire specimens significant. This

is
same
total
Terms
larger
usually
of
so
insignificant
in
terms of the
little
generic or family stature, are useful for popular

identification. Therefore,
surrounding deposits that there would be
hope
we
have, where feasible,
of accuracy in attempting such an estimate.
We have
placed popular
names
in parenthesis after the family
usually
not,
therefore,
overcomplicated the sum-
headings; these are often descriptive of the particular
maries below by attempting to distinguish between
genera
listed in
our area rather than of the family
"complete" specimens and fragments which might
as a whole.
have been broken from them or matrices in nearby

deposits.
The
following abbreviations
indicate
principal
Where
the discovery of
whole
shells has
sources of comparative material:
some
significance in terms of votive, ornamental, or
dietary function,
we have
is
tried to include this in
the text.
shell or
precise record of each entire or
broken
fragment
on
file
with the Middle Ameri-
M
MMS
P
can Research Institute of Tulane University, for the

use of specialists desiring this information.
It
should be noted that, in the tabulations,
num-
RR
Coe, 1959 Kidder, 1947 Moholy-Nagy, 1963 Moholy-Nagy, manuscript ProskouriakofT, 1962 Ricketson and Ricketson, 1937
-
notes
bers of pelecypods always refer to single valves unless
Thompson, 1939
Willey and others, 1965
noted as pairs.
Fuller descriptions and extra-peninsular distributions of
most of the Atlantic molluscs discussed may
be found in Abbott (1954) and
Warmke and
Abbott
(1961). All Pacific species mentioned are described

in
Keen (1958) and Olsson (1961, pelecypods
only).
These comprehensive works ably define the larger

fauna which
we
only sample in our restricted area.

occasionally deviated
in such
Where we have
minology used
from the
it
ter-
major
studies,
has been
because of recent taxonomic revisions or

rial
new matenot
acquired locally. In this report,

to
we have
wished
detail
overburden the reader with taxonomic

justification
in
of our identifications. If at
times
we seem
to the professional zoologist to
have
presumed too much, may we ask provisional quarter until
our larger study of the modern collections
reaches print.
It
has long been customary in malacological
liter-
ature intended for others than specialists in the field

to include the
English popular name, despite the
fact that, in the true

shells
meaning of
the word, most
do not have and never had popular names.

specialist,
These have often been made up by the
Annotated Checklist of Marine Species

Class:
GASTROPODA
FISSURELLIDAE
(keyhole limpets)
Modern
from
distribution:
Belize,
East coast of the peninsula,

Isla
Family:
B.H., to
Contoy, Q.R., also
Alacran Reef.
Diodora cayenensis (Lamarck)

Illustration: Plate i,b.
Archaeological occurrence:
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
Modern
distribution:
Common
on the
entire
pe-
mative.
riphery of the peninsula from Turneffe Islands,
B.H., to
Laguna de Terminos, Camp.

i
Cittarium pica (Linne)

Illustration: Plate i,d,dd.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
TIKAL:
Diodora
2
unworked, from Cenote
Modern
from
distribution:
Very common on
Q.R.
east coast
Belize, B.H., to Isla Contoy,

coasts.
Not
seen
Xlacah, presumably an offering, undated.
unworked, not dated (M-MS).
on north or west
DZIBILCHALTUN:
listen
unworked,
in unstratified
(d'Orbigny)
deposit.
Illustration: Plate 21, aa.
ISLA
east coasts,
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
364,
unworked,
Modern
and
at
distribution:
North and
from
Formative.
Turneffe Islands, B.H., to Telchac Puerto, Yuc,
TIKAL:
unworked, not dated;
2 perforated for
Alacran Reef.
suspension, both Classic
(M MS).
unworked, Late
Classic
is
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
p.
TIKAL,
unworked, not dated (M,
67).
cache (C, pp. 55, 82, as "Livona pica" which

this species).
Fissurella barbadensis
Illustration: Plate i,a.
(Gmelin)
Comment: Discarded magpie

Islands, B.H., to
shells
{Cittarium
Modern
Isla
distribution: Restricted to Caribbean coast
pica) are favored for reoccupation by the hermit

crab,
of the peninsula,
from Turneffe
and are frequently found
in the coconut trees
Contoy, Q.R.
of the east coast plantations.

locally
The
actual sea snail,
known
is
as sigua,
is
eaten extensively by the
DZIBILCHALTUN:
deposit.
unworked,
in unstratified
coastal population, either
raw or cooked
as
soup,
which
delicious.
CHICHEN
Cenote
(J.
ITZA:
unworked, from Sacred

Family:
Ladd, personal communication)
TURBINIDAE
(star shells)
TIKAL,

Chichen
Astraea caelata (Gmelin)

Illustration: Plate 1, e,ee.
Comment: Limpets
Itza,
Isla
rare at Dzibilchaltun,
Modern
distribution:
Common
on Caribbean coast
Cancun, Q.R.,
and Tikal, not reported elsewhere, including
from Turneffe
Islands, B.H., to Isla

atolls.
Cancun midden. Therefore they were probably

to eat.
and on offshore
not used for food, although
and delicious
were
common on They may have
rocky shores
been strung
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
through "keyhole" as jewelry. More probably they

collected for pleasure or as a votive offering. If
is
mative.
identification of Dzibilchaltun Fissurella

this
is
correct,
Astraea phoebia Roding [=zA. longispina Lamarck]

Illustration: Plate 1,/,//.
one of the few
shells
not reported from adjasite.
cent beaches in the archaeological fauna of the
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
all coasts,
from
Turneffe Islands, B.H., to
Isla
Carmen, Camp.,
Family:
TROCHIDAE (top shells)
and on offshore
atolls.
Calliostoma jujubinum (Gmelin)

Illustration: Plate i,c,cc.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
4 unworked, For-
mative.
MOLLUSCA
Astraea tecta americana (Gmelin)
Illustration: Plate i,g.
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Nerita tessellata Gmelin

Illustration: Plate 2,b,b'.
Modern
coasts,
distribution:
Common
on
east
and north
Modern
coast
distribution:
Common
atolls,
on the Caribbean
Turneffe Islands,
from Turneffe
Islands, B.H., to Sisal,
Yuc,
and the offshore

Isla
and on offshore
atolls.
B.H., to
Contoy, Q.R.; Alacran Reef and
Cayo Areas.
2
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
It
is
unworked, For-
mative.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
tive, a
(?)
unworked, Forma3 rather
damaged specimen with
than the
Comment:
often
strange that these

beautiful
shells
common and
2 parietal teeth usually characterizing this species.
strikingly
were not more
MAYAPAN:
ISLA
mative.
See N. julgurans, comment.

2
widely collected and traded in ancient times.
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
unworked, For-
Family:
NERITIDAE
(nerites)
UAXACTUN:
cache (RR,
p.
unworked,
pi.
in late Classic stela
Nerita julgurans Gmelin

listed in
199,
67,^,15; also K, p. 61;
both sources as "Nerita praecognita C. B.

a
is
Illustration: Plate 2,aa,aa'
'.
Adams,"
specimen
West Indian
probably the
variety of tessellata.
latter,
This
Modern
from
distribution: Southern part of west coast,

Isla
which
is
Carmen
common
to
Champoton, Camp.; not

on north and
east
on the nearby Caribbean shore.

Nerita versicolor Gmelin
Illustration: Plate 2,d,dd.
collected farther north; absent

coasts.
MA YAP AN:
p.
?) "several examples," both pierced
Modern
distribution:
Common
on Caribbean
coast
and unpierced, probably Decadent period

387,
fig.
(P,
only. Turneffe Islands, B.H., to Isla Contoy, Q.R.
44, b,g).
TIKAL:
Comment:

can be seen from the above modern
if
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
5
96 unworked, For-
mative.
It
TIKAL:
distribution that
correct, these
ProskouriakofT's identification
pieces
is
must be trade
from southern
Neritina meleagris
Illustration:
Lamarck
Campeche. Her photographs are

shells,
of the backs of
Sowerby, 1841^1.94.
and two of the three are very unclear. The
Modern
waters.
distribution:
Not
collected
in
peninsular
third (fig. 44, g) looks

(see below), lacking
much more like N. tessellata the much finer spiral cording

this species.
which distinguishes julgurans from

are handicapped
in
We
SAN
JOSE: 24 unworked, from
S.J.
IV cache
identification
by the usually
(T,p. 180).
Neritina virginea (Linne)
Illustration: Plate 2,e,ee.
complete
loss
in
archaeological
specimens of the
strong color patterns which characterize the various

nerites.
We
suggest,
however, that the Mayapan

thus placing their pro-
specimens are N.
tessellata,
Modern
distribution:
Common
along entire
littoral
venience in the same geographical province as the

other molluscan fauna of the
site.
of the peninsula,
from Turneffe Islands

atolls.
to Isla
Carmen;
also
on the offshore
Nerita peloronta Linne

Illustration: Plate 2,c,cc.
DZIBILCHALTIN:
unworked, Formative.
mentions
MAYAPAN:
on Caribbean
Boca Paila
coast
to Isla
Proskouriakoff
"one
Modern
distribution:
Common
Neritina specimen of unidentified species has a

large
and the offshore
atolls only;
round hole" (P,
p.
387). As virginea
is
the
it
Contoy, Q.R.; Alacran Reef, Cayo Areas.

only species reported from peninsular waters,

is
most probably
this.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
20 unworked, For-
SAN
JOSE:
unworked specimen
in cache ves-
mative.
sel, S.J.
IV (Late Early
period) (T, p. 180).
Marine Species
Comment: The
San Jose) or
inland Neritas and Neritinas were
Comment: The
Roo
Isla
Tectarius specimens from Dzibil-
probably collected for votive purposes (surely at

curiosity.
chaltun were probably traded from the Quintana

coast for votive purposes.
The
larger nerites
from the
The
littorinids
from
zone"
Cancun midden were probably used for food. I am told they make a very tasty broth. They are abundant along the Caribbean, thus very easy to collect
for food.
Cancun may
well be intrusive in the
midden
deposits, as these molluscs live in the "spray
above high-tide
limit,
and often climb the distance

midden.
They
are rare, as are the rocks they
on, along the sandy shelf of the north coast.
grow Numerdrill
from the water

If
to the present height of the
used for food, they would have been found in

greater quantities in the midden.
ous shore specimens were perforated by the

holes of a
much
number
of predators. It
is
very difficult
to distinguish these perforations
from those made
Family:
TURRITELLIDAE
(turret shells)
by the ancients for purposes of suspension.

Petaloconchus irregularis (d'Orbigny)
Illustration: Plate 3,.
Family:
LITTORINIDAE
(Gmelin)
(periwinkles)
Modern
distribution: Uncertain, as not thoroughly
collected.
Reported
at a
number
of stations
from
Littorina ziczac
Belize to Tancah, Q.R.

Illustration: Plate 2 , h, hh.
Modern
distribution: Caribbean coast
from Turneffe
Absent on
Islands, B.H., to Isla Contoy,
Q.R.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
possibly
intrusive
4 unworked, Forshells
north coast. Collected
at
Seybaplaya,
Camp.
mative,
on larger
in
Midden.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, ForFamily:
mative.
SILIQUARIIDAE (worm
shells)
Nodilittorina tuberculata
(Menke)
Vermicularia spirata Philippi

Illustration: Plate 3, c,cc.
Modern
distribution:
East coast only.
Tulum
to
Modern
distribution:
All
three coasts,
from
Isla
Cozumel, Q.R.
Mujeres, Q.R., to Chencan, cran Reef.

1
Camp. Also
at Ala-
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
mative.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
tainer,
unworked,
in cache conspire,
Late Early period. (Lacks tiny coiled
Echininus nodulosus (Pfeiffer)

Illustration: Plate 2,g,g'-
as
do most beach specimens. Therefore might

by
also be V. \norri Deshayes, distinguished only
Modern
distribution:
East
coast
only.
Turneffe
white spire instead of brown as on
this species.)
Q.R.
TIKAL:
"Various fragments, representing about

p. 67,
31 unmodified valves, 19 occurrences" (M,

2
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
age not noted.)
mative.
PIEDRAS NEGRAS: Found

caches (C, p. 55).
in
two Early period
Tectarius muricatus (Linne)

Illustration: Plate 2,i,i'.
Family:
East
coast only.
PLANAXIDAE (planaxis)
Modern
distribution:
Turneffe
Planaxis nucleus (Bruguiere)
Illustration: Plate $,b,bb.
Q.R.
Also at Ala-
cran Reef.
Modern
in Florescent
distribution: Caribbean coast only. Turneffe
DZIBILCHALTUN:
cache.
1
4 unworked,
Q.R.
unworked
in unstratified deposit.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN: n
unworked, For-
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
mative.
mative.
MoLLUSCA
Family:
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
MODULIDAE (modulus)
Cerithium variabile C. B.
Illustration:
Adams
Abbott, 1961,
pi. 13,
Warmke and
Very
w.
Modulus modulus (Linne)

Illustration: Plate 21, ee.
Modern
on
all
distribution:
common on
entire coast
of peninsula,
three coasts,
Isla
from Turneffe
Islands,
B.H., to
atolls.
Modern
distribution:
Common
Ciudad Carmen, Camp., and on offshore

from Turneffe Islands, B.H., to
Carmen,
Camp.
Also found on the offshore
atolls.
SAN
p.
is
JOSE:
unworked,
in S.J.
IV cache (T,
180, identified as C. lutosum var. eriense, which
TIKAL:
unworked (M-MS).
probably this species).
Family:
CERITHIIDAE
(ceriths)
Comment: The
for votive use.
inland specimens clearly destined
Cancun midden specimens might

this
Cerithium eburneum Bruguiere

Illustration: Plate 3, d,dd.
have been discards from collections made for

purpose.
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
entire periphery
of peninsula,
from Turneffe
Carmen, Camp.
Family:
CALYPTRAEIDAE
(cup-and-saucers,
slipper shells)
DZIBILCHALTUN:
unworked among Forunworked from Formamative burial offerings; tive deposit same structure (605); 1 unworked in
1 1
Crucibulum auriculum (Gmelin)

Illustration:
crypt of double child burial, Late Early period.
Plate 3,/,n.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
Modern
distribution:
Common
atolls.
on
entire littoral of
Isla
peninsula from Water Cay, B.H., to
Carmen,
mative.
Camp.
Cerithium floridanum Morch
Illustration: Plate $,ee.
Also offshore
ISLA
on
entire periphery
to Isla Car-
CANCUN MIDDEN:
22 unmodified (M,
unworked, Forlarger shell.
Modern
distribution:
Common
mative. Possibly intrusive on
some
of peninsula,
from Water Cay, B.H.,
TIKAL:
p. 67, archeological
men, Camp.
context not noted).
UAXACTUN:
cache (RR,
ably the
p.
unworked from
pi.
Classic
is
stela
Crucibulum spinosum (Sowerby)

Illustration:
199,
67, e, 16). This
presump.
Keen, 1958,
fig.
254.
same
shell listed
by Kidder (K,
61).
Modern
distribution: Pacific.
Cerithium
liter attum
(Born)
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
cache (C,
p. 55).
unworked, Late Classic
Illustration: Plate 3,/.
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
east coast,
from
Crepidula aculeata (Gmelin)
Illustration: Plate 3,hh.
Isla
Contoy, Q.R. and

coast; 1 speci-
on offshore
atolls.
Rare on north
men from
ISLA
Telchac Puerto, Yuc.
Modern
unworked, For-
distribution:
Common
Camp.
from
Isla
Contoy,
Q.R., to Isla Carmen,

2
CANCUN MIDDEN:
mative.
TIKAL:
35 unmodified (M,
p. 67, archaeological
context not noted).
Cerithium maculosum Kiener

Illustration:
Keen, 1958,
fig.
211.
Crepidula fornicata (Linne)

Illustration: Plate 3,g,gg.
Modern
Modern
p. 67).
distribution:
Common, from
Camp.
Isla
Mujeres,
TIKAL:
unmodified, not dated (M,
Q.R., to Isla Carmen,
Marine Species
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Strombus included
unworked
in cache,
Late
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1,871 unworked,
Early period, might have been intrusive on large

in cache.
1
Formative. (Does not include 1,022 undifferentiated fragments of Strombus
which might have
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
8 unmodified
unworked, For-
been either costatus or gigas).
mative.
BARTON RAMIE:
(M,
37 unworked and worked
TIKAL:
fragments,
all
but
are Classic or Postclassic
(W,
context not noted).
pp. 526, 528).
Comment: Although
ably larger
presence in caches at Dzibil-
chaltun might have been accidental, the consider-
TIKAL: 1 unworked (M-MS).
"probably gigas" not dated
number found
at
Tikal would indicate
UAXACTUN:
sion,
specimens with body whorl
intentional offerings of these unspectacular shells.
removed, then pierced below shoulder for suspen-
numerous other unworked fragments,

Classic
lists
pre-
Family:
STROMBIDAE
(conchs)
sumably
K,
p.
(RR,
p.
199,
pi.
68, a).
Kidder
61)
the species, perhaps on
RR
material,
Strombus costatus Gmelin

Illustration: Plate \,b.
but gives no further data.
Modern
it
distribution: This
is
the
common
conch of
Strombus pugilis Linne

Illustration: Plate \,c.
the sandy north-coast beaches.
On On
the east coast,
becomes rare from Holbox south, largely
Modern
reit
distribution: This
is
the
common conch
West
of
It is
of
replaced by S. gigas and others.
the northwest
the northwest and west coasts.
Chuburna,
and west
by
coasts
it
becomes
it is
gradually replaces S. costatus.
rare east of
rarer, largely replaced
S. pugilis.
However,
found
coast,
as far south as
Isla
Progreso, and has been reported only as far south

as Isla
Niop, Camp., on the west
and
Lobos,
at
Mujeres on the Caribbean.

atolls.
It also
occurs
Chinchorro Bank on the

Alacran Reef.
east coast.
Also found
on the offshore
DZIBILCHALTUN:
mative.
unworked fragment, For-
DZIBILCHALTUN:
from
all
periods (see
412 unworked, 74 worked Table 2). Used as tomb or
MAYAPAN:
ISLA
with
fig.
"cut
spire,"
presumably
cache offerings, and as materials for jewelry and

artifacts.
Decadent period (P,
47, h, not in text).

1
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
unworked, For-
MAYAP AN:
lists
ProskouriakofT (P, pp.

spires,
384-85)
mative.
10 complete, 9 cut
and 72 "altered
their use as
fragments," presumably mostly Decadent period,

all
damaged specimen from the Sacred Cenote, possibly worked (J. Ladd, personal communication).
CHICHEN ITZA:
identified as S. gigas.
She notes
"trumpets" and as raw material for a variety of

artifacts.
As
this
is
the
commonest
as well as the
BARTON RAMIE:
to shoulder
p.
perforated near columella
heaviest shell at the
site,
strong trade with the
for suspension, broad groove cut
from perforation
Caribbean coast would be implied. However, her

illustrations (figs. 43,
S. costatus,
on body whorl, Classic period (W,

510,/).
1
47) show that
507,
fig.
this shell
is
probably from the nearby- shore.
SAN
JOSE:
(T,
unworked, with burial "perhaps

1
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
493
unworked,
S.J. II"
p.
80; this shell
is
illustrated
and
Formative.
further described in Richards and
Boekelman,
1937,
p.
169,
pi. 6,
no. 7).
Strombus gigas Linne

Illustration: Plate 4,a,aa.
Modern
to Isla
distribution:
This
is
the
common
conch
"One complete shell was the only object found under Stela 5, Group B" (RR, p. 199); "a massive pendant made from the [perforated columella] of a large S. pugilis"
UAXACTUN:
along the Caribbean coast, from Turneflfe Islands
(RR,
p.
Contoy, Q.R. Unreported on the north and

atolls.
201,
pi.
69,^,2; archaeological context not noted).
west coasts; prevalent on offshore
Ricketson suggests that several of the crude Early
10
Classic figurines
MOLLUSCA
from the
site
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
were made from

specii
Cypraea cinerea Gmelin

Illustration: Plate 5,d,dd.
the body whorl of this shell.
One unworked
men, Chicanel, one unworked specimen, Tzakol
Modern
distribution:
Common
on Caribbean
coast,
(K,p.6i).
Strombus raninus Gmelin
Illustration: Plate <\,d.
Isla
Contoy, Q.R., and
on offshore
atolls.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
10 unworked, For-
Modern
distribution:
Common
on Caribbean coast
mative.
from Turneffe
Islands, B.H., to Isla Contoy, Q.R.,

atolls.
and the offshore and west

coasts.
Unreported from north
Cypraea zebra Linne

Illustration: Plate ^,c,cc.
Modern
57 unworked, For-
distribution:
Common
to Isla
on
east coast
from
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
Turneffe Islands, B.H.,
Contoy, Q.R. Also
mative.
Cayo Areas.
Comment: The
Caribbean
littoral
striking
all-year
abundance
of
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
2
39 unworked, For-
conchs on the entire Yucatan coast, especially the
mative.
and the offshore and
atolls,
offered
BARTON RAMIE:
(W,pp.
526, 528).
5
unworked, one Formative
a plentiful supply of food in return for a
minimum
still
(Barton Creek), one Protoclassic (Floral Park)
of labor.
5. gigas
S. costatus are
eaten
with
relish
from
British
Honduras
to
Tabasco (and
shredded and
TIKAL:
netta" the
unworked, "either zebra or
cervi-
delightedly by me),
raw with
spices,
latter a Pacific species
(MMS).
which was used
interest to the
boiled as a broth, or fried in oil as "biftec de concha."
The
smaller S. raninus (which

in
have not sampled)

at
was obviously eaten
Formative days
Cancun.
Comment: It is odd in so many parts of

money, seems
ancient Maya.
to
that the cowry,
the world for ornaments or for

little
The ponderous
shells
were probably stripped of
have been of
their small animals (as they are today) before the
The numerous specimens from Cancollected as food.
meat was shipped inland, leaving the

coastal
shells to
form
surely
cun were probably
middens. In the inland
cities,
which
enjoyed the meat, the shells served as the most
Family:
OVULIDAE
important single material in the manufacture of

jewelry and a variety of small artifacts.
Cyphoma gibbosum (Linne)

Illustration: Plate $,b,bb.
Modern
Family:
distribution:
Uncommon on
Caribbean
CYPRAEIDAE
(cowries)
coast,
from Turneffe
Q.R. Also offshore
atolls.
Cypraea cervus Linne

ISLA
on north
coast only.
Sisal,
CANCUN MIDDEN:
4, all
unworked, For-
Modern
distribution: Rare,
One
mative.
specimen each from Chavihau and

Yuc.
HOLMUL:
in
with
2 holes pierced
on back
for suspension
(Merwin and
Vaillant, 1932, pi.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Formative deposit.
unworked fragment
1
35,#, not mentioned in text).
TIKAL:
unworked
in For-
5,
perforated, four
from Early
Classic
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
Q.R.:
1
cache, one
from Late Formative (Cauac) tomb

probably Atlantic," there-
mative deposit.
(M-MS, "Cyphoma,
outer
lip,
TANCAH,
worked
i960,
this
fig.
apparently
un-
fore probably this species); 7,
unworked, undated
perforations
(illustrated but not identified in Sanders,
(M MS, "Cyphoma
sp.,"

2
19
b, 14, called
"ornament (?) of
shell";
UAXACTUN:
1,
with
broken
might be C. zebra).
through wall (K,
p. 62).
Marine Species
Family:
ii
NATICIDAE (moon shells)
Morum
Modern
tuberculosum (Reeve)
Illustration:
Keen, 1958,
fig.
316.
Polinices duplicatus (Say)

Illustration: Plate 3,/,/.
Modern Chencan
distribution:
to Isla
Southwest coast only, from
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
(C, pp. 55, 57,
1 tinkler, spire
and shoul-
Carmen.
one Formative
der removed and base perforated, probably Classic
%.
52,).
TIKAL:
2 pierced for suspension,
SAN JOSE:
Lambidium
species).
1, in S.J.
V tomb
(T, pp. 180-1, "as

is
(Chuen), one probably Late Classic (M-MS).

Polinices hepaticus (Roding)
Illustration: Plate 3,//.
tuberculosa
morum," which
this
Comment:
from Turneffe
Q.R.
tical
It is
strange to find the Pacific species at
Modern
distribution: East coast only,
San Jose and Piedras Negras when the almost idenAtlantic form
sites.
Islands, B.H., to Isla Mujeres,
was
to be obtained so
near to
both
1
Separation of highly altered specimens

species
is
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
un worked, For-
into
the
two
precarious.
Identification
mative.
Polinices lacteus (Guilding)
of the Balankanche tinkler
was influenced by
also
geo-
graphic provenience;
Pacific species.
Illustration: Plate 5,\,kk..
it
might
have been the
Modern
only,
distribution:
Common
atolls.
on Caribbean
coast
from Turneffe
Phalium granulatum (Born)

Illustration: P\ate6,b,bb.
Q.R. Also the offshore
Modern
9 unworked, Foron
distribution: Isla
Cancun and
Isla
Mujeres,
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
east coast only.
mative.
ISLA
Natica canrena (Linne)
Illustration: Plate
6,;';'.
CANCUN MIDDEN:
6 unworked, For-
mative.
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
entire periphery
Phalium inflatum (Shaw)

Illustration: Plate 6, a, aa.
of the peninsula
from
Belize, B.H., to Isla
Aguada,
Camp. Also
at
Alacran Reef.
Modern
from
period,
3
distribution:
Isla
North and west

to
Isla
coasts only,
Holbox, Q.R.,
Carmen. Also
MAYAPAN:
Probably
Decadent
fig.
Cayo Areas.
"pierced" specimens (P, p. 387,
44,^).
at base,
CHICHEN
two with
p.
ITZA:
"6,
one of these cut
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Formative debris.
fragment, unworked in
large
round
holes,
two perforated"
(P,
422, archaeological context not noted).
MAYAPAN:
47,f)
lists
Proskouriakoff
sp.,"
(P,
is
p.
387,
fig.
"Phalium
this
is
which
probably in-
Family:
CASSIDIDAE
oniscus (Linne)
:
flatum, as
the only north-coast species,
and
is
very closely resembled by her illustration.
Morum
Modern
COP AN:
what
east
coast,
is
Longyear (1952,
in the text.
fig.
94,i)
illustrates
It is
Illustration
Plate 6, dd, dd'.
probably a shell of this genus.
not
distribution:
Uncommon on
mentioned
from Turnefle on the offshore
Islands, B.H., to
Cancun, Q.R.,
and on west coast (Chencan, Camp.). Also found

atolls.
Comment: Large samples

the east
of both these species
on
and north
coasts
show neither geographical
overlap nor morphological intergrading.
They
differ
infla-
BALANKANCHE:
cut
off, drilled
1 tinkler, spire
and shoulder
in that P.
granulatum
is
about half the size of
perforation at base, age uncertain

p. 54, fig. 55, d).
tum,
is
relatively
much
heavier and thicker-shelled,
(Andrews, 1969,
strongly cancellate rather than spiral sculpture, and
12
in adult specimens has a strong
MoLLUSCA IN THE MAYA LoWLANDS

former varix roughly
opposite the aperture.

Cassis madagascariensis
Illustration:
MAYAPAN:
cist,
unworked, "from a house mound

with
smaller
together
perforated
shells,"
Lamarck
Abbott, 1961,
pi. 1,/.
Decadent period (P,
p. 387, fig.
47,).
Warmke and
Q.R.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
unworked, For-
Modern
distribution: East coast,
Corker Cay, B.H.,
mative.
to Isla Mujeres,
BARTON RAMIE:
p.
unworked,
Classic
(W,
526).
Salis)
TIKAL:
unworked, "probably madagascarien-
sis" undated
(M-MS).
Cymatium parthenopeum (von

Illustration: Plate ~/,c,cc.
Cassis tuberosa (Linne)

Illustration: Plate 11, a.
Modern
from
distribution:
Isla
Uncommon
to Isla
on
all
three coasts,
Mujeres
Carmen.
unworked, from Cenote
in
as
Modern
distribution: East coast,
from Turneffe
Is-
lands, B.H., to Isla Contoy, Q.R. Also Alacran Reef.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Xlacah,
datable.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
JOSE:
S.J. Ill
1 artifact
probably thrown
offering.
Not
36 unworked, For-
mative.
ISLA
of Cassis, "probably tuber-
CANCUN MIDDEN:
pileare
unworked, For-
SAN
osa"
mative.
(T,
p. 181, pi. 28,c).
TIKAL: 1, slightly debris (M-MS).
altered, probably
Late Classic
Cymatium
(Linne)
[=
C.
martinianum
(d'Orbigny)]
Illustration: Plate ~/,d,dd.
Cypraecassis testiculus (Linne)

Modern
from Turneffe
distribution:
Uncommon on
all
east
and
north coasts and on the offshore

Islands, B.H., to
atolls.
Turneffe
Modern
Areas.
distribution:
East coast,
Punta Palmar, Yuc.
Islands,
B.H., to Isla Contoy, Q.R. Also Cayo
DZIBILCHALTUN:
1
perfect
specimen,
un-
worked, in Late Early period deposit.
MAYAPAN:
ISLA
fragment, unworked, probably

p.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
Decadent period (P,
387).
CANCUN MIDDEN: n
mative.
unworked, ForFamily:
mative.
TONNIDAE (tun shells)
Family:
CYMATIIDAE
Tonna
(tritons)
galea (Linne)
Charonia variegata (Lamarck)
[=
C. tritonis nobilis
Modern
and
at
distribution:
Rare on
east
and north
coasts,
(Conrad)]
Illustration: Plate 7, a.
Alacran Reef.
Modern
distribution:
Frequent on
east coast
from
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
Belize to Isla Mujeres.
single shell
from Chaviatolls.
mative.
hau on north
coast.
Also found on offshore
Tonna maculosa (Dillwyn)

7 unworked, ForIllustration: Plate 1,e,ee.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
mative.
Modern
at
distribution:
More common on
to Isla
Sisal
east coast
from Turneffe Islands
Contoy. Collected
coast,
Cymatium jemorale (Linne)

Illustration: Plate J,b,bb.
Chavihau and
on north
and
at
Alacran Reef.
Modern
distribution: Rare. East coast
from Turneffe
north-
Islands, B.H., to Isla Mujeres. El

east coast.
Cuyo on
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
4 unworked, For-
Alacran Reef.
mative.
Marine Species
13
for food
?
Comment: Taken
Family:
Ficus
CHICHEN ITZA:
FICIDAE
(fig shells)
tion.
unworked, found by
me on
surface in area of Modified Florescent construc-
communis Roding
Illustration: Plate J,g.
Comment:
Location in Modified Florescent area at

fit
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
east coast south

Isla
Chichen Itza would

tation
well with
its
apparent impor-
to Isla Mujeres,
north coast and west coast to
from the western Gulf
coast.
Carmen.
Murex pomum Gmelin

Illustration: Plate 8,b,bb.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
96 unworked; most datable
specimens are Formative (see Table 2).
Modern
entire
distribution:
The common Murex on

periphery;
the
MAYAPAN:
which
is
unworked, presumably Decadent

fig.
peninsular
Isla
Turneffe
Islands,
period (P, p. 387,
47,4, "Ficus papyratia Say,"
B.H., to
atolls.
Carmen, Camp. Also on offshore
this species).
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
DZIBILCHALTUN:
ISLA
unworked,
in the
Cenote
mative.
Xlacah, probably as an offering. Undatable.
Comment: The frequency

posits, suggests that
it
of this very delicate shell
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
at Dzibilchaltun, particularly in the
Formative deused as food.
mative.
may have been

it
The
shell
is
so thin that
could have had no use
TIKAL: 1 unworked cache (M-MS).
in Early Classic structure
as material for jewelry or other artifacts.
UAXACTUN:
Comment:
unworked, Tzakol (K,
p.
61).
Family:
MURICIDAE
A.
In 1964 this species was collected and

at
(murex)
used for food by natives
Corker Cay, B.H.
Murex
dilectus
Adams
.
Murex rubidus Baker

Illustration: Plate 21, dd.
Illustration: Plate 8,cc
Modern
also at
distribution: East coast north of Isla
Can-
Modern
distribution:
Rare on west
coast
only.
cun, north coast, and west coast to Isla Carmen,
Celestun,
Yuc,
to
Chencan, Camp.
Alacran Reef. Fairly common.
TIKAL:
noted).
unworked (M,
p. 67,
"Murex, prob-
TIKAL: 1 unworked, (M-MS).
as
"Murex
recurvirostris"
ably florifer Reeve," archaeological context not
Comment: M. rubidus was

recurvirostris
originally
called
M.
rubidum
It
F. C. Baker, the local
Comment: Emily Vokes

all
called to
my
form
attention that
of this species.
status.
has recently been given specific
our peninsular specimens of
this
form were
strange
the above species, not M.. florifer Reeve, a larger and
much
heavier, although related, form. It
is
Purpura patula (Linne)

Illustration: Plate
8,^-.
that this beautiful
and
fairly
common
shell has
not
appeared in the Yucatan archaeological collections.
Modern
distribution:
Common
on Caribbean
coast,
from Turneffe
Q.R.
Murex
fulvescens
Sowerby
Illustration: Plate8,a,.
Modern
distribution:
A
It
ISLA
fragment of
this
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
species
at Isla
elseits
mative.
was found by Emily and Harold Vokes Carmen, Campeche.
has not been collected
Thais deltoidea (Lamarck)

Illustration:
where on the peninsula. Abbott (1954) gives distribution as "North Carolina to Florida and
1
Plate 8,//.
to
Modern
Isla
distribution: Caribbean coast,
Cozumel
to
exas.
Contoy. Cayo Areas.
i4
MoLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS

is
valid species. Proskouriakoff's specimen

i
clearly
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
corona).
mative.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
555
unworked,
Formative.
Thais rustica (Lamarck)

Melongena melongena (Linne)

Illustration: Plate 10, a, a'
Modern
distribution:
Caribbean coast only, from

to Isla
Turnefre Islands, B.H.,

Contoy, Q.R.
Modern
distribution:
Common
Isla
on
all
coasts
from

i
Carmen.
but one
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
COLUMBELLIDAE
unworked, For-
mative.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
(dove
shells)
135 unworked,
all
datable example in Formative deposits (Table 2).
Family:
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1,
unworked, For-
mative.
Columbella mercatoria (Linne)

Illustration: Plate 6, e.
BARTON RAMIE:
pp. 504, 526).
of peninsula,
atolls.
unworked, Classic (W,
Modern
distribution: Entire
littoral
TIKAL:
unworked, undated;
5 slightly altered,
Turnefre Islands to Isla

Carmen. Offshore
four of these Early Classic
(M-MS).
UAXACTUN:
cuts in
worked, Tzakol, three sawed
DZIBILCHALTUN: i unworked, Formative. ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: i unworked, Formative.
form of an
perforated in body whorl
near
orifice,
probably intentionally imitating the
perforation of hollow logs in the

2
making
of the
SAN
JOSE: (T,p.i8o).
2
unworked,
in cache vessel, S.J.
IV
ancient drum, or tun\ul (K, pp. 61, 62,
fig.
48).
TIKAL:

1
perforated,
Comment: Except
Uaxactun and the
altered",
5
for
the
single
example from
"slightly
Early Classic,
perforated, Classic
(M-MS).
from Tikal which were
none of the 925 archaeological specimens

were worked. The whorls are
so thin
Family:
BUCCINIDAE
of this genus
that only
on exceptionally large specimens would
Cantharus auritulus (Link)

Illustration: Plate 6,g.
the shell be of any use as material.
At Dzibilchaltun
during
both species were found as offerings at Cenote

Xlacah, and are
the Formative.
Modern Isla Cancun
distribution: Collected at Isla Mujeres and
common
in votive caches
only.
Dzibilchaltun and
2
The enormous Isla Cancun
quantities present at
leave
no doubts that
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
MELONGENIDAE
unworked, For-
this
mollusc was an important source of food.

total
its
mative.
The almost
in contrast to
absence during later deposits,

in the
abundance
Formative (see
in
Family:
whelks)
(crown
conchs,
Table 2),
is
a striking
example of the change
usage over time at the
site.
Melon gena corona (Gmelin)

Illustration: Plate io,, b'
Busycon coarctatum (Sowerby)

Modern
distribution:
Common
on
all
three coasts,
Modern
coasts
distribution:
Uncommon
on
east
and north
from Boca
Paila, Q.R., to Isla
Carmen, Camp.
but
from
at
Isla
Mujeres, Q.R., to Punta Palmar,
Yuc, and
unworked,
all
Cayo Areas.
1
DZIBILCHALTUN:
seven of
226
known
1
age were Formative.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
men, found under
vaulted building.
bispinosa
unworked
of Late
juvenile speci-
MAYAPAN:
Philippi,"
unworked, probably Decadent

fig.
is
floor
Early period
period (P, p. 387,
47, s, called
species.
"M.
I
which
p.
this
agree with
is
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
4 unworked, For-
Abbott (1954,
234) that bispinosa
not a
mative.
Marine Species
Busycon contrarium (Conrad)
ler
J5
fragments. These doubtful specimens have been
assigned to the locally

east
common
species contrarium
Modern
from
distribution:
Isla
Rare on
coast
at
Isla
in
the above
tabulations.
We
have followed the
Mujeres and
Isla
Contoy.
to
Common
on north coast
taxonomy
of Abbott (1954, p. 236).
Holbox
coasts
Sisal.
Rarer on northwest
and west
it is
from
Sisal to Isla
Carmen, where
Busycon spiratum (Lamarck)

largely replaced by B. perversum. Collected
at
Alacran Reef.
Modern
from
118
distribution:
Isla
Common
on
all
three coasts,
Mujeres, Q.R., to
Isla
Carmen, Camp.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
from Formative
(see
unworked,
largely
Also at Cayo Areas.

Table 2); 9 worked fragments, 8 from Formative and Copo complex

deposits,
DZIBILCHALTUN:
period cache.
12,
unworked,
in
most
where
2
it
was used
specimens,
in the
manufacture
periods (see Table 2); one found in Late Early
of jewelry.
MA YAP AN:
period,
species).
probably
fig.
Decadent
MAYAPAN:
which
is

fig. 47,/?, as
unworked
(P, p. 387,
47,0, listed as
it is
period (P, p. 387,
B.
pyrum Dillwyn,
B. perversus but clearly from photograph
this species).
1,
this
LABNA:
in de-
pierced
near base for suspension,
GRUTA DE OXKINTOK:
posits dated
unworked,
otherwise unworked, probably Pure Florescent

(E.
by Brainerd as Florescent (identified
H. Thompson, 1897b,
pi.
X, 18,
illustrated
by Mercer
as
"Fulgur perversum Linne
but not identified).

var. cothis sin-
arctatum Sowerby"; photograph shows

estral shell is
is
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
NASSARIIDAE (mud
19 unworked, For-
B. contrarium whereas coarctatum
mative.
dextral. Cf. Mercer, 1896, pp. 47, 53,
173-74,
figs. 17,
18; Hatt
and
others, 1953, p.
in).
unworked,
Family:
snails)
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
2
581
Nassarius vibex (Say)

Formative.
TIKAL:
ture,
unworked (M,
lists
p. 67, also listed as
Modern
all
distribution:
In or near
swamp
areas
on
perversum; she also
"about 105,
sp.,
tiny,
immais
three coasts,
from Turneffe
Islands, B.H., to
unmodified" as Busycon
which may be
late
Chencan, Camp., and Cayo Areas.

this shell); 2 cut
fragments, one of which
Classic
(M-MS).
1
UAXACTUN:
unworked,
in Chicanel deposit
1,
drilled
with single hole for
UAXACTUN:
(K,
p. 61, as
suspension, Tepeu; found with lot of
Prunum
"Nassa
perversum).
apicinum virgineum and a single Oliva

also
reticularis,
with a single perforation (K,
p. 61, as
Busycon perversum (Linne)

Illustration: Plate <),b,bb.
vibex")
Modern
distribution:
Common
from Progreso on
Family:
FASCIOLARIIDAE
(tulips, horse conchs,
western north coast
to Isla
Carmen, Camp.
latirus)
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Comment:
ferent
Fasciolaria hunteria (Perry)

Illustration: Plate io,<:,\
B. contrarium and perversum are dif-
Modern
distribution: Collected only
on north coast
species
on the peninsula, the former the

latter characterized
of Yucatan, Celestun,
and the Alacran Reef.

habitat,
"normal" form, the
by a
much
Archaeological occurrence (the following occurrence

is
heavier shell and a strong swollen ridge about the
outside
modern known
although Can-
middle of the body whorl in semimature
to
mature
cun was very heavily collected):
specimens. This difference cannot be detected in

juveniles,
shell,
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
The
unworked, For-
which
is
are
much commoner
than the adult
mative.
and
often impossible to distinguish in smal-
UAXACTUN:
Ricketsons report one "Fasci-
i6
olaria distans
MOLLUSCA
Lam." with two perforations for Chultun 3 (RR, pp. 199-200, prob-
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS

specimen,
un-
CHICHEN
worked,
captioned
as
ITZA:
this
lot:
juvenile
fig.
suspension, in
illustrated
(P,
51, h)
and
listed
correctly
in
text
ably repeated in K, p. 61). This

(see
may be F.
hunteria
species,
not
comment below).
confusion of F. hunteria and
(provenience of
"Chichen Itza and Balam

(personal communication)
Canche"). Dr.
J.
Ladd
Comment: Regarding
nal form, obtained
notes that
two adult specimens were recovered

of
related forms, see Hollister, 1957.
There
is
an
origi-
from the Sacred Well, one

cut
off.
which had
its
spire
from shrimp
v.
trawlers, for
which
a later-
he opts the F. lilium (F.
Waldheim), and
also
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
84 unworked, For-
named
Florida species which
has been called F.

obviously closely
trawlers off
mative.
hunteria (Perry).
third,
BARTON RAMIE:
(W,
unworked,
in
mixed debris
related form, taken by
peche,
is
shrimp and Abbott. Oddly, Rehder F. branhamae

the peninsula are clearly the
Cam-
pp. 526, 528, as Fasciolaria gigantea).
TIKAL:
34 unmodified, immature (M,
p.
67;
our specimens from

Florida
species,
period not yet determined); 3 cut fragments, one
hunteria,
all
including
those
from
Middle Formative (Chuen), one Early

one undated;
Classic,
3 slightly altered,
Classic,
Campeche which were
collected in or near shalis
two of these Early

removed,
low water. F. distans Lamarck

for F. lilium, not hunteria.
a later
synonym
one undated
1
(M MS).
spire
UAXACTUN:
with
is
which
Ricketsons suggest
Fasciolaria tulipa (Linne)
Illustration: Plates 10, d,dd; 11b.
trumpet; identification not
given, but from photograph

61, both as "Fasciolaria"),
all
(RR,
pi.
69, c; K, p.
it is
clearly this species.
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
three coasts,
from Turneffe
Islands,
B.H.,
to
Isla
Carmen,
Latirus ceratus
Illustration:
(Wood)
fig.
Camp. Also
offshore atolls.
Keen, 1958,
603.
Modern
DZIBILCHALTUN:
mative;
1
37 unworked, mostly For-
but this
may have been drilled for suspension, may have been natural (see Table 2).
1
TIKAL:
Latirus injundibulum (Gmelin)

Illustration:
MAYAPAN:
ISLA

fig.
Warmke and
Not
Abbott, 1961,
collected
pi. i,i.
period (P, p. 387,
47,/).
Modern
478
unworked.
distribution:
on peninsula.
CANCUN MIDDEN:
Formative.
Pleuroploca gigantea (Kiener)
Illustration: Plate 11, d.
TIKAL:
Family:
east coast, collected

(chank
shell)
TURBINELLIDAE
Modern
distribution:
Rare on
Turbinella angulata (Solander)

Illustration: Plate 11, e.
from Corker Cay, B.H.

west coasts from
Isla
Common
on north and
to Isla Car-
Holbox, Q.R.,
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
all
three coasts,
men. Alacran Reef.

from Turneffe on offshore

25 unworked and 4 cut,
Carmen. Also
atolls.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
preparatory to some use as jewelry, Formative
DZIBILCHALTUN:
mative (see Table 2);
24 unworked, mostly For1
through Pure Florescent (see Table 2).
with spire removed for
MAYAPAN:
suggests
1,
spire
removed, Proskouriakoff
p.
is
use as a trumpet, in Formative cache; 3 other

pieces of
may
have been used as trumpet (P,
body whorl and columella
partially cut
384,
fig.
47, , as "Fasciolaria gigantea,'''

1
which
for use in manufacture.
this species),
unworked
(P, p. 387, listed as

this
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
2,
96 unworked, For-
"Fasciolaria papulosa",
which may have been
mative.
species; cf. Abbott, 1954, p.
242); both probably
HOLMUL:
one with spire removed, one neatly
Decadent period.
cut in half vertically with resultant edges finely
Marine Species
smoothed (Merwin and Vaillant, 1932,
fig.
J7
p.
87,
27, pi. 34,/,;,
no date
listed).
ISLA
a
CANCUN MIDDEN:
14 unworked (2
BARTON RAMIE:
shell,
"A
hinge portion of a Xancus
surely, 12 doubtfully this species), Formative.
which has
carefully
ground edges, has

p.
central
perforation"
(W,
is
507,
fig.
310,,?).
Oliva porphyria (Linne)

Illustration:
Turbinella [Xancus], being a gastropod, has no

hinge; further, as this
forated bivalves,
it is
Keen, 1958,
pi.
VIII.
listed
among
the per-
Modern
clearly a mistake.
TIKAL:
tain date
2,
described as trumpets, neither of cer-
COPAN:
spire
9 unworked, Full Classic; 6 tinklers,

at
(M-MS).
1
removed, drilled hole

p.
bottom, Full Classic

109,^).
1
UAXACTUN:
Comment: The
For changes
in
unworked, Tzakol
(K,
p.
61).
(Longyear, 1952,
no,
fig.
TIKAL:
family Turbinellidae and the genus
8 "uncut tinklers," Early Classic;
"cut
tinkler," probably Late Classic
(M-MS).
Turbinella are published as Xancidae and Xancus.
nomenclature, see Vokes, 19^4-
Ohva
reticularis
Lamarck Cozumel to Campeche. Not col-
Illustration: Plate i2,c,cc.
Family:
VASIDAE
(vases)
Modern
Isla
distribution: East coast, Isla

Isla Jaina,
Contoy, and
Vasum capitellum (Linne) See comment under V muricatum

.
lected
on north
coast.
below.
Vasum muricatum (Born)

Illustration: Plate
DZIBILCHALTUN:
north and east
to
unworked
1
in
Cenote
n, c. Modern distribution: Uncommon on

coasts,
Xlacah, presumably an offering;
with back-
ground
flat
and
drilled for suspension, spire not
fro'm
TurnefTe Islands, B.H.,
Punta
removed, Late Early period or Pure Florescent;

5 tinklers, spire cut off
Palmar, Yuc.
and
either
"sawed" (four)
or drilled (one) perforation for suspension, three
DZIBILCHALTUN:
on
shoulder fragment, cut
Formative (two in burial), one in Cenote Xlacah, one in unstratified deposit; 3 ornaments made by sawing off horizontal sections of shell and perforating tip for suspension, one in Pure Florescent
cache, one in unstratified deposit, one
2 sides, unfinished, Late Early period.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
unworked, For-
mative.
TIKAL:
lum," see
unworked (M, p. comment below).
67, as "V. capitel-
from Cenote
Xlacah.
LABNA:
Comment: The Vokes, who have checked our Vasum species from the peninsula, feel that they are
all
tinklers,
apex removed, base with

probably
pi.
sawed
(E.
perforation,
Pure
Florescent
illus-
H. Thompson, 1897b,
1
X,i6,22,23,
muricatum, even though
in
some
characteristics
trated but not identified).
they resemble capitellum.

ological specimens
It is
unlikely that archae-
GRUTA DE LOLTUN:
(E.
tinkler,
with sawed
from the Peten would be of a
perforation, spire not removed, period not
known
separate species, for
which reasons
include the
H. Thompson, 1897a,
fig.
10 illustrated but
Tikal occurrence above.
not identified).
p.
We have
ing
followed
Keen (1958,
432)
in assign-
MA YAP AN:
riod,
73, probably mostly
Decadent
pe-
Vasum
to a separate family rather-
than to the
ranging from unworked through tinklers

to a
Turbinellidae.
with a variety of perforations,

specially carved examples, of
number
of
which Proskouria-
Family:
OLIVIDAE
(olive shells)
koff gives a detailed description (P, pp. 38586).
Certain of the specimens illustrated (ibid.,
fig.
45)
Ohva
caribaeensis Dall
and Simpson
are surely not reticularis; see O. sayana below.
Illustration: Plate i2,a,aa.
CHICHEN
Cancun and
Isla
ITZA: "77
[sic]. 2
unaltered, 8 with
slit
Modern
distribution: Isla
Contoy,
cut spire; 39 cut horizontally or broken with
Q.R., and Punta Palmar, Yuc.
perforation near base; 5 with drilled perforation,
i8
MOLLUSCA
slit
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS

either say ana or
6 with two
near spire;
51,^).
species.
perforations, 5 with perforation

fig.
fied as
O.
reticularis,
must be
carved; 7 others" (P, p. 422,
caribaeensis.
The specimen illustrated is surely this }. Ladd reports 2 additional specimens

spire
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
2 tinklers,
unworked, For-
mative.
from the Sacred Cenote, one with
ground
BARTON RAMIE:
figs.
both with "sawed"
down.
perforation and spires
removed (W, pp. 50708,

"Olivella"). Sev-
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
Q.R.:
2,
106
unworked,
apparently
309, a;
310,/', identified as
Formative.
eral times larger
than any Olivella, they clearly
TANCAH,
with
holes
belong
to
genus Oliva, and
may
be identified as
drilled at shoulder for suspension (illustrated but
either of the 2 closely related species sayana or
not identified by Sanders, i960,
fig.
19,^,15, 16).
caribaeensis.
BARTON RAMIE:
for
pierced by drilled hole

spire
SAN
(T,
p.
JOSE:
180).
1
1
.
unworked, with
S.J.
IV
sherds
perforation,
one with
309, ;
removed (W,
pp.
50708,
figs.
310, ); identified as
illustration that these
TIKAL:
unworked (M,
listed.
p.
67) "Oliva, probably
"Olivella" but clear

are
from
sayana"; age not
much
larger (as well as differently shaped)
UAXACTUN:
son's
Although not reported

left in
as such,
than any Olivella
known from
this area.
They
are
probably the tinkler fourth from

illustration
(pi.
Ricket-
probably Oliva reticularis.
68, b)
and
nos.
59
in
this
TIKAL:
unworked "probably O.
have spires cut
off
reticularis";
Kidder's illustration
species
(fig.
85,^) are either
22 tinklers, "weathered and probably of various

species"; all
or O. caribaeensis.
They might be
the
and have
a cut
Pacific O. porphyria.
or drilled
suspension hole near the apex
(M,
Oliva spicata (Roding)
pp. 67, 70).
UAXACTUN:
but one from
Ricketsons report 15 Olivas,
all
Illustration:
Mamom
Keen, 1958,
fig.
625.
deposits;
some
p.
of those
Modern
illustrated are surely reticularis
(RR,
201,
fig.
131,^,
pi.
68, b); Kidder reported 9, Tzakol and

surely, others
fig.
COP AN:
1952,
p.
14 tinklers, spire sawed off and hole
Tepeu, "some
reticularis"
presumably, Oliva
85,^).
drilled in base,
from Full
Classic
tomb (Longyear,
(K, pp. 63-64,
no).
Oliva say ana Ravenel

Illustration:
Plate i2,b,bb.
Comment:
coast only,
large collection of fresh specimens of
Modern
tun
distribution:
to Isla
West Carmen.
2
from Celes-
large olive shells

east
from the northern
islands of the
coast
shows complete intergradation in the

used to define O. sayana and
feel
characteristics
O.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
tive,
unworked, one Formawith spire removed,

in
caribaeensis,
making me
same
that these are really
one unstratified;
n tinklers, with both sawed

undated de-
varieties of the
species. Distinction
between the
and
drilled perforations, all
two
in
bleached and altered specimens must be
Formative and Early periods or

posits
questionable, as
must be
the distinction of
damaged
definitely
(Table 2).
1
fragments of both these from the Pacific O. porspire
LABNA:
tinkler,
removed, sawed for

Florescent
(E.
phyria.
Twelve
Isla
Cancun specimens, not
perforation,
probably
pi.
Pure
H.
identified as sayana,
have been included with the
Thompson, 1897b,
identified).
X,2i, illustrated but not
caribaeensis.
The
1
differentiation
between these larger species
GRUTA DE LOLTUN:
(E.
tinkler
with spire
and the smaller
reticularis,
which
have
sug-
removed and sawed perforation, period unknown
gested on the basis of photos and measurements of
H. Thompson, 1897a, Used
fig.
11, illustrated but
Uaxactun and Mayapan specimens,

O. reticularis
is
is
more
specific.
not identified).
the
more globose and much smaller

p.
MAYAPAN:
45).
for tinklers (P, p. 385, fig.
shell.
Abbott (1954,
245-46)
as
lists
the size of
Some
of these specimens, tentatively identi-
reticularis as
3844 mm., sayana
5166 mm. All
Marine Species
our modern specimens
are fairly safe in
fall
19
within
this range, so
we
Comment: For
Johnson, 1964.
data on this very rare species see
long after
assuming that an Oliva 50 removal of spire (K, fig. 85) or 60

p.
mm. mm.
complete (P,
385)
is
one of the larger
species,
Family:
CANCELLARIIDAE
(nutmegs)
rather than reticularis.

Olivella dealbata (Reeve)
Illustration:
Cancellaria reticulata (Linne)

Illustration: Plate 6,hh.
Plate
i2,e>.
Modern
distribution:
Uncommon on
north coast,
east
Modern
coasts,
distribution:
Very
common on
Islands,
all
three
Isla
collected only at Telchac Puerto.

coast.
to Isla
Absent on
from
Turneffe
B.H.,
to
Commoner on
Carmen.
6
in
west coast, from Celestun
Aguada, Camp. Also Cayo Areas.

off
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Pure Florescent tomb.
14 with apex ground
TIKAL:
altered,
unworked (M,
an
Early
p.
67);
slightly
for stringing, offering in Late Early period or
Classic
structure
cache
(M-MS).
153,
GRUTA DE BALANKANCHE:
ground
off for stringing as beads,
apex
from
a wrist-
Family:
MARGINELLIDAE
(marginellas)
band or
pectoral.
1
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
(Gmelin)
Prunum apicinum apicinum (Menke)

unworked, ForIllustration: Abbott, 1954, pi.
n,.
collected
at
mative.
Olivella nivea
Illustration:
Modern
distribution:
One specimen
See P.
Dolores, Yuc.
Plate 12, d.
apicinum
vir-
Modern
Isla
distribution: East
and north
coasts,
from
col-
gineum (Joussaume), below.
Cozurhel, Q.R., to Dolores, Yuc. Also
Prunum apicinum virgineum (Joussaume)

Illustration: Plate 12,^.
lected at Alacran Reef.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
Archaeological,
or
Modern
3
distribution:
Common
on
all
three coasts
unworked, For-
from Turneffe
Islands,
B.H.,
to
Isla
Carmen,
mative.
Camp.
even
Alacran Reef.
Comment:
beach-worn
Olivellas, particularly
when broken
The
or intentionally
DZIBILCHALTUN:
for suspension, all
altered, are extremely difficult to assign to
one of
28 unworked, 75 pierced Formative; 1 pierced in Late

1
the
is
many
similar species.
species nivea, above,
Early
period
deposit;
pierced
from Cenote
relatively easy to separate because of size
and the
Xlacah.
fact that the
similar Jaspidella jaspidea lacks the
MAYAPAN:
for
p.
20, fifteen of
which were pierced

(P,
marked
callus
on the columella. The
lots of
smaller
suspension,
probably
listed
Decadent period
as
Olivellas, all of
which
have
classified as dealbata,
386,
fig.
44, <i;
Marginella apicina
are about
may
lina,
well contain specimens of O. mutica, O. roso-
Menke). However, the 7

8
illustrated
and perhaps other
local species identified largely
mm.
in
length,
whereas apicinum apicinum

is
by color.
Menke
in this area
at least twice that size; they
are probably the subspecies virgineum.
Family:
MITRIDAE
(miters)
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
JOSE:
1
unworked, For-
mative.
Mitra florida Gould

Illustration: Plate 21, b, bb.
SAN
181).
unworked
a
in S.J. Ill cache (T, p.
Modern
Isla
distribution: Rare, one specimen taken at
COP AN:
"About
handful from
Tomb
1,
aver-
Lobos, Chinchorro Banks.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
aging 7 mm. long. Each shell has a hole broken through the back" (Longyear, 1952, p. no, fig. 107, ). Again, this is only half the average size of
apicinum, and
is
mative.
probably the present subspecies.
20
MOLLUSCA
unmodified, 4 pierced for suspension 67, "Marginella, probably all apicina
3
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
TIKAL:
(M,
p.
Prunum,
cf.
storeria
(Couthouy)
1
-
Illustration:
Couthouy, 1837, P
9> fig s - J > 2
Menke"; however,
as she cites
ProskouriakofPs
it is
Modern
distribution:
Not
collected
on peninsula.
photo, above, and Kidder's photo, below,
most
probably this subspecies).
TIKAL:
list
UAXACTUN:
in
Ricketsons
64
2
unworked
perforated
"Marginella apicina" in two

another (RR, pp. 199-200,
cists,
Comment:
Marginellas, in general, are exceedingly
pi.
all
1
63,^). Kidder
common
in
Formative deposits
in
Yucatan
as un-
lists
185 in two Tepeu caches, with snake vertebrae and

fig.
pierced (106 in
Olivella;
altered specimens. Later they occur less
commonly,
jar
K, pp.
it
usually perforated for use as beads (see Table 2).
6162,
clear
82, b).
As
at
Mayapan, above,
is
from Kidder's
illustration that these shells
Family:
CONIDAE (cones)
Gabb
12,^,^.
are half the size of apicinum apicinum

less,
Menke
or
and are probably
this subspecies.
Con us
floridanus
Illustration: Plate
Comment: This
examples
at
tiny shell
was apparently not conall
Modern
from
distribution:
Isla
Common
on
all
three coasts,
sidered worth drilling for perforation. In
pierced
Mujeres, Q.R., to
Isla
Carmen, Camp.
Dzibilchaltun, the hole was broken,
Collected at Alacran Reef.
not drilled. Kidder mentions the same at Uaxactun;

this
seems
to be true also at
Mayapan.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
with spire cut
tive; 1
unworked, Formative;
off (unfinished tinkler?),
Forma-
Prunum guttatum (Dillwyn)

unworked, Pure Florescent.
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
all
three coasts
Conus mus Hwass

Illustration: Plate
from Turneffe
Islands, B.H., to
atolls.
Chencan, Cam-
12JJI.
peche and on the offshore

Modern
distribution:
Common
on
east coast,
from

4 unworked, Forcran Reef.
Isla
Contoy. Also Ala-
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
labiatum (Valenciennes)
mative.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
Prunum
mative.
Modern
distribution: Moderately
common on
to Isla
all
Conus regius Gmelin

Illustration:
three coasts, Isla
Cozumel, Q.R.,
Carmen,
Plate 12,7,77.
Camp. Also
the offshore atolls.
Modern
coast
distribution:
Uncommon
on
Caribbean
from Belize
to Isla
Cancun, Q.R.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
1
46 unworked, Formative;
1
with drilled hole near rim, Formative; 4 un-
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
worked, probably Formative;

Early period;
1
unworked, Late
mative.
tinkler, spire
removed, sawed per-
Conus sozoni Bartsch

Illustration: Plate 12,
foration at base. Late Early period or Pure Florescent;

1
m.
unworked, Pure Florescent.

8, all
MAYAPAN:
Modern
"Margi-
distribution:
Not
collected
on peninsula.
but one perforated, probably

p. 386, fig. 44, c, as
Decadent period (P,

nella labiata").
ISLA
is
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
mative. Identification of these eroded specimens

1
CHICHEN
51, h).
ITZA:
perforated (P, p. 422,
fig.
uncertain.
TIKAL:
perforated,
Conus spurius
atlanticus
Clench
four of these Formative (Chuen), one probably
Illustration: Plate I2,/,m.
Late Classic
(M-MS).
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
all
three coasts,
Marine Species
from
Isla
21
Isla
Mujeres, Q.R., to
Carmen, Camp.
Cenote Xlacah;
clearly fossil, but
much hand-
rubbed specimen obviously kept for some purpose,

in Late Early period deposit.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
tive,
6 unworked (two Forma-
one Late Early period, one probably Decadent period, two unstratified); 6 worked fragments of
Family:
AURICULIDAE
eoffeus (Linne)
(coffee beans)
Melampus
Modern
at
body whorl (three Formative, three Late Early period), each a triangular pendant, with 2 perforations at top for suspension.
Illustration:
Plate
6,i,ii.
distribution: All three coasts,
from Turneffe
Collected
Aguada, Camp.
LABNA:
probably
1,
pierced
near base for suspension,

(E.
Cayo Areas.
Pure
Florescent
H. Thompson,
1897^,
pi.
X,20, illustrated but not identified;
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
MA YAP AN:
illustration
mative.
lists
Proskouriakoff
"small conch
p. 3^4>
trumpets" of Conus with "cut spires" (P,

refers to fig. 47,/
is
Class:
SCAPHOPODA
DENTALIIDAE
(tooth shells)
and m, but
is
missing).
I
The
Family:
surely this
species.
agree with
Proskouriakoff in questioning the use of these

small shells as trumpets.
Dentalium texasianum cestum Henderson

3
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
unworked, Fordate not listed);

1
Illustration:
See below.
mative.
Modern
unmodified (M,
probably
late
p. 67,
distribution: Collected
by us only on Cayo
TIKAL:
1
Norte, Chincharro Banks. Richards and Boekel-
tinkler,
Formative (Cauac);
man (1937)
Monkey
note
it
has been collected
from
tinkler, Early Classic
(M-MS).
(augers)
River, B.H.
Family:
TEREBRIDAE
"RIO
HOK SKUM"
in burial
(near Corozal, B.H.),
un-
worked,
Terebra (?) dispar Deshayes
Illustration:
mound dug
by
Thomas Gann
16768,
(Richards and Boekelman,

pi. 6,
1937, pp.
None.
no. 4).
Modern
distribution:
Not
collected.
Comment: Willey
S.J.
notes 25 beads of Dentalium (not
SAN
p.
JOSE:
unworked from
IV cache (T,
identified as to species), with a similar
number
of
180).
T. dispar
sea-urchin spines from a Spanish

burial
Lookout Phase
(W,
pp. 509, 526,
fig.
309,^). Note Richards'
Comment:
collected in
West Indian species, not peninsular waters. As the identity is

is
and Boekelman's ideas

Class:
cited above.
queried by the author,
suggest that the specimens

is
PELECYPODA
ARCIDAE
[=
A. umbonata La-
may
is
be what
we now know
the
common
augur
Family:
in these waters, Terebra cinerea (Born),
and which
very similar to the exotic dispar

pi.
(Warmke and
Area imbricata Bruguiere marck]
Illustration: Plate i$,a,aa.
Abbott, 1961,
25,^).
Family:
BULLIDAE
(bubbles)
Modern
Bulla occidentalis A.
distribution:
Common
atolls.
on the
entire coast
Adams
of peninsula, Turneffe Islands to Isla
Carmen.
Also on the offshore
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
all
three coasts,
from Water Cay, B.H.,

to Isla
Carmen, Camp.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
9 unworked, For-
mative.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
tive,
4 unworked, one Formain cache),
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
sic
unworked,
in Late Clas-
two Late Early period (1
one in
cache (C, p. 55).
22
MOLLUSCA
pacifica
IN
THE MaYA LOWLANDS
Area
Sowerby
Keen, 1958,
fig.
Anadara
37.
notabilis
(Roding)
Illustration:
Illustration: Plate I3,<r,cr.
Modern
Modern
Isla
distribution:
Found on
all
three coasts of
the peninsula, from Turneffe Islands, B.H., to
UAXACTUN:
Tzakol (K,
p.
un worked, one Chicanel, one
Aguada, Camp. Also on offshore
atolls.
61).
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Area zebra Swainson
with broken, not
drilled,
[=
A. occidentalis Philippi] on
hole below
tive.
umbo,
possibly for suspension.
Forma-
Illustration: Plate i$,b,bb.
Modern
shore
distribution:
Common
all coasts,
from
off-
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-

atolls.
Carmen, Camp. Also on
mative.
Anadara transversa (Say)
DZIBILCHALTUN:
deposits,
2
unworked
in
Formative
Illustration:
Plate 13, d,dd.
(pairs)
in cache
box of Late Early

6 unworked, For-
Modern
Areas.
distribution:
North and west

to Isla
coasts only,
period.
Minas de Oro, Yuc,
Aguada, Camp. Cayo
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
(
mative.
?), 1
MAYAPAN
text, is

fig. 46*?, listed as
DZIBILCHALTUN:
hole below
with irregular broken

for suspension, For-
period (P, p. 387,
Area
sp.? in
umbo, probably
almost certainly this species.)
mative;
4 unworked, one of Decadent period,
TIKAL:
56 unworked (M,
others not datable.
association not noted).
Some
of these,
from
MAYAPAN:

fig.
probably Late Classic caches (Coe and Broman,
period (P, p. 387,
64,/, listed as
it
"Area
sp.,"
1958,
p.
44)1
but clearly from photo
is
this species).
UAXACTUN:
tive
unworked, apparently Forma129; K,

p.
TIKAL:
28 unworked,
pierced for suspension,
(RR,
p. 199, fig.
61; both listed as
not dated (M, p. 66).
"Area noae Linne,"
Mediterranean species).
3
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
sic
unworked,
in
Late Clas-
Lunarca
ovalis (Bruguiere)
r
caches, one coated with cinnabar on inside

fig- 5 2
Illustration: Plate x
i,gg,gg
(C, p. 55,
^)-
Modern
and
distribution: Collected only at Isla
Carmen
to
nearby Zacatal,
Camp. These would seem
Comment: The
of A. zebra to
Ricketsons illustrated a specimen
be the southernmost limits of a western Gulf

Coast distribution, as they are not found farther north on the peninsula or on other coasts.
show
the deep scratchings on the
ligamental area, which do look

design.
much
like incised
They quote Clench

industry."
as
thinking these "were
probably the result of boring sponges and not of
BARTON RAMIE:
p.
unworked,
Classic
(W,
human
curiosity
Actually,
they are the normal
526).
8 unworked, not dated
ligamental grooves of this species.
and speculation
They aroused our when we first found them
TIKAL:
(M-MS).
in the field.
Comment: The Barton Ramie

identity
I
specimen, whose
shell at the
if
re-checked,
would be the only
Anadara grandis (Broderip and Sowerby)

Illustration:
site
imported from considerable distance

distribution
is
the above
Keen, 1958,
fig.
56.
modern
complete. However, the shell

failed to collect
Modern
may
in
exist as a rarity
which we
on
the east coast.
COP AN:
grandes").
unworked,
cache
p.
of
Stela
7,
Late Classic (Longyear, 1952,
53, as
"Area
Noetia ponderosa (Say)

Illustration: Plate i^,,e,ee.
Marine Species
23
Modern
Isla
distribution:
to Isla
West
coast,
Campeche
only,
It is
strange that Modiolus americanus, by far the

the north coast,
is
Arenas
Carmen.
p. 66).
commonest present mussel on

found
not
in archaeological context.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
TIKAL:
Family:
22 unworked, not dated (M,
Brachidontes exustus (Linne)

Illustration: Plate i$,b,bb.
GLYCYMERIDAE
(bitter sweets)
Modern
distribution: Collected at scattered sites in
Quintana Roo, Yucatan, and Campeche.

Glycymeris decussata (Linne)
Modern
distribution: East coast
cun Islands), west coast

offshore atolls.
(Cozumel and Can(Isla Carmen), and the

on north
coast.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
TIKAL: Unworked (M-MS).
Musculus
lateralis
unworked specimens
in
cache offering, Late Early period.

valves,
Not
collected
"probably exustus"
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
19 unworked, For-
(Say)
Abbott, 1961,
collected
pi.
mative.
Illustration:
Warmke and
Not
31, c.
Glycymeris undata (Linne)

Illustration: Plate 13, h.
Modern
distribution:
from periphery
of peninsula.
Modern
distribution: East coast only. Xcaret to Isla
Mujeres.
TIKAL:
6 unworked (M,
context not stated).
MAYAPAN:
period (P,
pi.

illustrates a
It
\6,g
specimen of "G.
Family:
ISOGNOMONIDAE
alatus
(tree oysters)
pennacea"'
decussata).
lacks the posteriorly
pointing
umbo
of that species,
and more
closely
Isognomon
(Gmelin)
resembles undata.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
the
40 unworked, For-
Modern
sula,
distribution: All three coasts of the penin-
mative.
Isla
Carmen,
Camp.
Comment: Whichever of Mayapan specimen is one

shells
two
species
it
is,
the
of the few archaeological
DZIBILCHALTUN:
from Formative
cent deposits.
37
from Yucatan apparently imported from a
strata,
unworked fragments 35 unworked and 33

Flores-
considerable distance.
worked from Late Early period and Pure
Family:
MYTILIDAE
(mussels)
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
4 unworked, For-
mative.
Modiolus demissus granosissimus Sowerby

Illustration: Plate i/[,a,aa.
Isognomon radiatus (Anton)

sites,
Modern
distribution:
Collected at scattered
east,
Illustration: Plate i^,d,dd.
always near mangrove swamps, on
north,
Modern
distribution: All three coasts

Isla Jaina,
from
Belize,
and west
coasts.
B.H., to
Camp. Also
1
offshore atolls.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
mative.
unworked
valves,
For-
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Formative;
1
unworked and
2
worked,
unworked, unknown
date.
ISLA
Comment: The form
found
in
CANCUN MIDDEN:
It is difficult,
unworked, For-
granosissimus can
now
be
mative.
swamps behind Progreso (near Dzibilchaltun) and Dzilam

abundance
in the
mangroves
in the
Comment:
the above
or impossible, to separate
is
Bravo, and probably elsewhere.
It is
eaten locally
two
species unless the hinge
present,
and
also sent to
Merida
as a delicacy.
which
it
is
not on most of the small fragments used
24
for mosaic or thoroughly
ler

worked. Most of the smal-
Comment: Boekelman (1935,

some
detail, all outside area of
pp.
25763,
figs.
fragments, which might have been either species,

alatus.
13) describes archaeological use of Pinnidae were used

as hoes (strapped to a
in
have been tabulated above with the larger
lowland Maya. They
wooden handle),
as food.
Family:
PTERIIDAE (wing
oysters, pearl oysters)
as a source of inferior pearls,
and
Their
absence in the Cancun Midden, although

Pteria colymbus (Roding)
common
were
on the beach
at
there,
might indicate
as food.
that they
not used by the
Maya
The many fragments

suitable.
Modern
Isla
distribution: All three coasts of Yucatan,

Isla
Dzibilchaltun were probably brought in as mamosaics, for
Mujeres, Q.R., to
Aguada, Camp. Also
terial for
which they are most
They occur
1
in several of the "jewelers' caches" in
the structures opposite the
Temple
a
of the Seven
DZIBILCHALTUN:
deposit. 1
unworked,
in unstratified
Dolls,
which usually contained

and
wide variety of raw
unworked
in
Copo
deposit.
material, obsidian tools,
several unfinished
and
finished items of jewelry.
Pinctada radiata (Leach)

Illustration: Plate i/[,e,ee.
Family:
three
coasts,
Modern
distribution:
All
Cozumel
PLICATULIDAE
Lamarck
(kitten's
paws)
Island, Q.R., to
Chencan, Camp. Alacran Reef.
Plicatula gibbosa
Illustration: Plate i5,<?.
DZIBILCHALTUN: 4 unworked, Formative; 4 unworked, Late Early period; 1 unworked, 1

worked, Late Early period or Pure Florescent;
1
Modern
coasts, at
distribution:
Very common on
to Isla
all
three
from Cozumel
Carmen, Camp. Also
Cayo Areas.
unmodified, from Cenote
unworked, from cenote.

1
MA YAP AN:
ISLA
mative.

fig.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Xlacah, not datable.
period (P, p. 387,
46, d).
1
CANCUN MIDDEN:
(M,
unworked, For-
TIKAL:
sp.,"
Reports numerous unworked "Plicatula

this species
perhaps
(M MS).
TIKAL:
"2 unmodified, 10 fragments, 4 worked

p.
pieces," not dated
67).
Family:
PECTINIDAE
(scallops)
Comment: As with
when
dead.
the Isognomonidae, these oys-
Pecten laurenti Gmelin

Illustration: Plate 21, c.
ters rapidly lose their attractive surface coloration
They
were apparently valued for the

for
Modern
distribution: Collected at Isla
Cancun, Q.R.
highly nacreous undershell, which was useful
ornamentation, including mosaics.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
fragment, un-
worked, Formative.
Family:
PINNIDAE
(sea pens)
Lyropecten nodosus (Linne)

Atrina seminuda (Lamarck)
[=
A. rigida (Dill-
Illustration: Plate i$,d,dd.
wyn)]
Illustration: Plate i$,a,aa.
Modern
distribution:
to Isla
distribution:
Usually
uncommon on
all
three coasts. Collected three

coasts
from
Isla
Mujeres, Q.R., to
Modern
All
from
Isla
Isla
Aguada, Camp.
3 fragments, all
1 valve, in
Mujeres
Carmen.
9 unworked in Formative
1
DZIBILCHALTUN:
ken pectoral made of
cache.
from bro-
DZIBILCHALTUN:
deposits, 11
Late Early period
unworked fragments and
adorno
of this shell in Late Early period offertory caches,
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
6 unworked, For-
worked in Pure Florescent tomb, 3 unworked from Cenote Xlacah, and 3 others unworked in
1
mative.
TIKAL:
unworked, undated;
perforated,
undated debris.
Early Classic
(M-MS).
Marine Species
Lyropecten subnodosus (Sowerby)
Illustration:
25
period,
where they were very common

pendants.
in caches
Keen, 1958,
fig.
137.
(see Table 2). Unaltered or slightly altered valves
Modern
pierced
as
Worked fragments were

and
a variety
made
from
into beads, carved pendants
TIKAL:
11, perforated for suspension, ten
of adornos, these often for inclusion in mosaic.
an Early Classic burial, one undated
(M MS).
BALANKANCHE:
2 beads.
UAXACTUN:
suspension, in
2,
each drilled with 3 holes for
MA YAP AN:
16 whole and broken valves, prob-
Tzakol burial (K, pp. 6162).
ably Decadent, also used widely as

for beads, etc. (P, p. 385, fig. 44,0).
raw material
Aequipecten gibbus (Linne)

Illustration: Plate 15, bb.
ACTUN XKYC (CALCEHTOK):

Isla
complete
Modern
distribution: All three coasts of the penin-
valve with sawed incision, then finished at 2 ends
sula. Isla
Mujeres, Q.R., to
Areas.
Carmen, Camp.,
with drilled perforations for suspension; in deposits
common. Also Cayo
identified by Brainerd as Late Early period
or
1
Pure Florescent (as "Spondylus echinatus"

S.
"RIO
HOK
SKUM,"
near Corozal, B.H.:

derived from a
un-
=
p.
americanus; see Hatt and others,

pi. 3, fig. 1).
1953,
worked
in burial,
"may be
fossil
118,
deposit" (Richards and Boekelman, 1937, p. 166,

pi. 6, no. 2, cited as
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN: in
unworked,
P. gibbus exasperatus Dall).
Formative.
BARTON RAMIE:
Aequipecten muscosus (Wood)
45 worked and unworked,

p. 526,
from
on
all
all
periods
(W,
528).
Modern
to Isla
distribution:
Common
three coasts
TIKAL:
5 pairs,
unworked (M-MS).
of the peninsula
from the Turneffe
Islands, B.H.,
Spondylus princeps Broderip

Illustration:
Carmen, Camp. Also Alacran Reef.

1
Keen, 1958,
pi. II.
Modern
with 2 holes drilled on with
DZIBILCHALTUN:
wings
for suspension, Late Early period; 1
COP AN:
Frequent in Full Classic tombs and
2 holes crudely broken
on wings
for suspension,
stela caches,
none worked. Several
pairs used as
in unstratified debris. Several very well preserved

fossils,
its,
"jewel boxes" to hold pearls, jade, cinnabar, and

other small shells (Longyear, 1952, pp. 42,
fig.
unworked, found
in archaeological depos-
no,
may have been
part of the cultural remains.
94, as "S. crassisquama,"
which
is
not this
Comment: Note
one found
at
that the Pacific species

is
is
the only
species).
Uaxactun and
the most frequent at

is
PUSILHA:
(Gruning,
pairs,
unworked,
undated;
all
Tikal, although the very similar Atlantic species
used containers for "small personal ornaments

1930,
p.
common on
Family:
nearby shores.
483,
pi.
XXI,
fig.
1,
as
"Spondylus," but almost surely
this species.).
SPONDYLIDAE (thorny oysters)

Hermann
SAN
are
JOSE:
3 valves,
unworked,
S.J. Ill
in caches,
two
S.J.
IV, one
may
15
be
(T, pp. 18081).

in
Spondylus americanus
Illustration: Plate 15,/,/'.
UAXACTUN:
on
east
unworked, two
Tzakol,
Modern
coasts
distribution:
Common
atolls.
and north
Yuc.
thirteen in
Tepeu
burials
and caches; 27 with two
from Turneffe
Islands, B.H., to Sisal,
drilled holes for suspension, twenty-six of
them
and on the offshore
in
Tzakol
burials,
one in undated debris (K,

crassisquama").
valves,
as
pp. 6162,
fig. 82,a, as "S.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
fragments,
all
11
unworked
valves
or
TIKAL:
3 pairs,
unworked, undated; 148

84 Early
but one (unstratified) found
among
slightly altered, mostly in burials
and caches
raw materials
period.
in the "jewelers' caches," Late Early
follows: 1 Formative (Cauac),
Classic,
52 worked valves, fragments, or small artifacts, from all periods, but mostly Late Early
58 Late Classic,
5 uncertain
(M MS,
"probably
most of these are
S. princeps").
26
MOLLUSCA IN THE MAYA LOWLANDS

in Classic burials
PIEDRAS NEGRAS: 12+

caches;
burials
3
and
tion;
cache contained 10, nine of which were

fig.
perforated
for
suspension in Classic
pairs
as
pierced (P, pp. 386-87,
44 ,).
and caches;
a Persian
several
were used
S.
as
"jewel boxes"
(C, pp.
5556,
species).
limbatus,
Family:
OSTREIDAE (oysters)
which
is
Gulf
Ostrea equestris Say
Comment: The
found
at
very large amounts of Spondylus

are
Illustration:
Plate 16, a.
Tikal
still
and may
largely
remain un-
Modern
distribution:
Collected only at Isla Can-
differentiated
between the Pacific princeps, and the
cun, Q.R.
Atlantic americanus, except as noted above.
Of more
than 5200 worked valves and chips collected by

1964, more than 2500 were beads (mostly Formative) and over 2400 were "cached fragments"
(mostly Early Classic).
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
mative.
Ostrea jrons Linne

Illustration:
Plate i6,c,cc.
Family:
LIMIDAE
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
east
and north
to
coasts only,
from Chapel Cay, B.H.,

Also on offshore
atolls.
Punta
Lima lima (Linne)

Illustration: Plate ^5,gg.
Palmar, Yuc.
Modern
Only on Caribbean coast (Turneffe Islands to Isla Mujeres) and on the

distribution:
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
mative.
offshore atolls.
Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin)

1
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
Illustration: Plate i6,bb.
mative.
Modern
distribution:
All
three coasts,
from
Isla
Mujeres, Q.R., to
Isla
Carmen, Camp.
unworked,
juvenile, in
Lima
scabra (Born)
Plate r^,h,hh.
Illustration:
DZIBILCHALTUN:
from
Isla
Modern
Reef.

to Isla
Cozumel
cache,
Late Early period, possibly attached to
and Xcaret
Cancun, Q.R. Also Alacran
large Strombus.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
JOSE:
2
unworked, For-
mative.
1
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
ANOMIIDAE
unworked, For-
SAN
(T,
unworked
in cache, S.J.
IV
or
mative.
p. 180,
specimens illustrated by Richards and

p. 166, pi. 6, no. 6).
cit.)
Boekelman, 1937,
Family:
(jingle shells)
COROZAL:
list
Richards and Boekelman (op.
this species
from
a burial
mound
at
"Rio
Hok
Anomia simplex d'Orbigny

Skum" near Corozal.

three
coasts,
Modern
distribution:
All
Isla
from
Isla
Comment: Thompson (1939,
p.
180) quotes Boekel-
Mujeres, Q.R., to
Carmen, Camp. Rare

elsewhere.
at
man
as stating that, "so far as present
knowledge
Alacran Reef,
common
goes, the area

Castillo
is
between Cabo Catoche and Puerto
not at the present time inhabited by any
DZIBILCHALTUN:
cache),
1
19 unworked, from Late
type of oyster." But

in the area:
we have
collected four species
Early period deposits (sixteen in a single votive
Ostrea equestris, O. jrons, Crassostrea
unworked
in a Florescent deposit, 1 un-
rhizophorae, and C. virginica.
fifth oyster closely
worked
for
in
Cenote Xlacah, presumably an offering.

13 specimens,
all
resembling O. permollis Sowerby was taken at Alacran reef.
MA YAP AN:
center,
but two pierced
suspension, usually a single hole near the
sometimes with a second smaller perfora-
Family:
CARDITIDAE
Marine Species
Carditamera floridana Conrad
Illustration: Plate 15,7,/'.
27
DZIBILCHALTUN:
on
all
6 unworked, Formative;
Modern
Isla
distribution:
Common
three coasts,
with 2 perforations near ventral margin for

pension, Formative;
1
sus-
Mujeres, Q.R., to Isla Carmen,
Camp.
unworked
in Late Early
period or Pure Florescent.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
7
8 in Formative deposits,
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
9 unworked, For-
unworked,
pierced below
sion; 1
with hole drilled
umbo for below umbo for

1
suspensuspenin
mative.
sion as bead, Late Early period;
unworked
Phacoides radians (Conrad)

Illustration:
probably Decadent period deposit; 2 unworked,

unstratified,
1
Warmke and
Abbott, 1961,
pi. 36,;'.
an offering in Cenote Xlacah.
Modern
distribution: Collected at
Chavihau, Yuc.
TIKAL:
Family:
DZIBILCHALTUN:
CORBICULIIDAE
period cache.
unworked,
in Late Early
Pseudocyrena floridana (Conrad)

Illustration:
Comment: This
all
tiny
pelecypod
may have been
Plate i6,d,dd.
introduced inadvertently in beach drift inside large
Modern
Camp.
distribution:
Common
on
three coasts
conchs in the offering.
from Turneffe
Islands,
B.H., to
Isla
Carmen,
Coda\ia orbicularis (Linne)
Illustration: Plate i6,g.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
deposits.
unworked,
in
Formative
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
all
three coasts
from Turneffe
Islands, B.H., to Isla Jaina,
Camp.
Family:
DIPLODONTIDAE
Warmke and Abbott,
DZIBILCHALTUN:
1961,
pi. 35,/.
unworked, one
in For-
Diplodonta semiaspera Philippi

Illustration:
mative deposit, one unstratified.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
unworked, For-
Modern
distribution: Collected at Dolores, Yuc.
mative.
BARTON RAMIE:
unworked,
in Late Early
pierced
for
suspension,
DZIBILCHALTUN:
period cache.
1,
hinge downward, margin considerably reduced,
Spanish Lookout phase
(W,
p.
507,
fig.
310,^).
TIKAL:
Comment: This
tiny shell
unmodified (M,
p. 66,
age not given).
may have been
introduced
inadvertently in beach drift inside a large conch.
Family:
CHAMIDAE (jewel boxes)
Family:
LUCINIDAE
(lucines)
Chama congregata Conrad

Illustration: Plate ij,bb.
Lucina pensylvanica (Linne)

Illustration: Plate i6,e,ee.
Modern
on
east coast
distribution:
East
coast
from Turneffe
at
Modern
distribution:
Common
from
Q.R. Also
Alacran
Belize to Isla Holbox,
and on Alacran Reef. unworked, For-
Reef and Cayo Areas.

ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
DZIBILCHALTUN:
unworked,
pair,
single valve,
all
mative.
in Late Early period cache
(was prob-
ably attached to large conch in offering).
Phacoides pectinatus (Gmelin)

Lamarc1(\
[=
L. jamaicensis
Comment: As
Dzibilchaltun specimens were prob-
ably attached to a large Strombus costatus in the
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
entire littoral of
to
Isla
cache, they almost surely originated
on the nearby
re-
the peninsula,
from Chapel Cay, B.H.,
north coast, although the species has not been
Carmen, Camp.
corded in modern north coast collections.
28
MOLLUSCA
Broderip
fig.
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Chama echinata
Illustration:
Pseudochama radians (Lamarck)

239.
Illustration: Plate 17,/,/'.
Keen, 1958,
Modern
Modern
atolls.
distribution: All three coasts
from Turneffe
Islands to Isla
Carmen, Camp., and the offshore
TIKAL:
altered,
28 unworked, not dated; 4 slightly

Early
Classic
(M-MS, "Pseudochama
echinata"}.
ISLA
Lamarck
Family:
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
mative.
Chama
Modern
florida
Illustration: Plate i-/,d,dd.
CARDIIDAE
(cockleshells)
distribution:
East coast,
from Turneffe
atolls.
Islands to Isla Contoy,

collected
and the offshore

coasts.
Not
Trachycardium egmontianum (Shuttleworth)

This form has not been collected from the peninsula,
on north or west
where
it
almost certainly
is
replaced by the
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
macerophylla Gmelin
8 unworked, For-
closely related but distinct species T. isocardia.

latter
The
Isla
mative.
has been collected at 25 stations, from

to Isla
Cancun, Q.R.,
Carmen, Camp.
Chama
Modern
from
Moholy-Nagy
reports 31 unmodified T. egmontiIt
Illustration: Plate ij,a,aa.
anum from
on
all
Tikal. These should be re-examined.
distribution:
Common
three coasts,
is
probable that they are actually T. isocardia.

atolls.
Aguada, Camp. Also

Trachycardium isocardia (Linne)
Illustration: Plate 18, a, aa.
on the offshore
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
1
13 unworked, For-
Modern
from
distribution:
Isla
Common
on
all
three coasts
mative.
Cancun, Q.R.,
to Isla
Carmen, Camp.
from
SAN JOSE:
San
unworked, within cache, "probably

181
;
Jose III" (T, p.
this shell illustrated in

pi.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
raw materials
in
58
unworked,
all
Richards and Boekelman, 1937,
6).
periods (Table 2), fourteen of these
among
the
COROZAL:
(Burial
mound
1
at
"Rio
Hok Skum"
one of the Late Early period
excavated by Gann):
unworked, which may

deposit (ibid., p. 169,
"jewelers' caches;" only
two reasonably complete
have derived from a

pi.
fossil
valves appeared.
6).
MA YAP AN:
TIKAL:
Plate i~?,c,cc.
Probably Decadent period,
listed
in collection but not illustrated (P, p. 387).
Chama sarda Reeve

Illustration:
See T. egmontianum above.
Modern
distribution:
Common
on
east coast,
TurAlso
Trachycardium
magnum
(Linne)
neffe Islands, B.H., to Isla Mujeres, Q.R.
offshore atolls. Rare
on north
coast; collected at
Modern
distribution:
Isla
Rare. Collected only at Isla
Telchac Puerto and Chavihau. Not collected on

west coast.
Mujeres,
Cancun, and Alacran Reef.
ISLA
38 unworked, For-
CANCUN MIDDEN:
Listed in
unworked, For199) and
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
Broderip
f
.
mative.
mative.
UAXACTUN:
(p.
RR
(p.
61) as "Cardium magnum."
No
illustration;
Chama sinuosa
Modern
archaeological association not given.
Illustration: Plate x~[,e,e
distribution:
East
coast
only,
Turneffe
Trachycardium muricatum (Linne)

Illustration: Plate 18, b,bb.
Q.R.
$0 unworked, For-
Modern
from
Areas.
distribution:
Common
on
all
three coasts,
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
Aguada, Camp.
Cayo
mative.
Marine Species
29
Antigona
all
listen
(Gray)
DZIBILCHALTUN:
18 unworked, in
periods
Illustration: Plate i9,tf,.
except Decadent (Table 2), mostly Formative. 1 valve listed (P, fig. 4 6 >^) as
Modern
to Isla
distribution: Caribbean coast,
from Belize
MAYAPAN:
Contoy, Q.R. Offshore
atolls.
"Cardium, unidentified species," probably is T. muricatum. Probably Decadent period. ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 2 unworked, Formative.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
4 unworked, For-
mative.
Antigona rigida (Dillwyn)

4
TIKAL:
unmodified, archaeological context

fragment, unmodi-
Illustration: Plate 19, .
not given (M, p. 67).
UAXACTUN:
fied in cache
p.
Modern
Cancun,
entire
and
under Stela
A-n
Q.R., and
Cayo Areas.
2
(RR,
p.
1995 K
61 as "Cardium muricatum"}.
In Late Classic cache (C,
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
p.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
mative.
55 as "Cardium muricatum").
Mercenaria campechiensis (Gmelin)
Dinocardium
L. C. Smith
robustum
vanhyningi
Clench and
Illustration:
Plate ic>,c,cc.
Modern
distribution:
Isla
North and west

to
coasts,
com-
mon from
Isla
Holbox, Q.R.,
Isla
Carmen,
Modern
distribution:
From
Contoy
at
north
tip
Camp.
Cayo Areas.
46 unworked, mostly For-
of east coast to Isla
Carmen, Camp. Very common
on north
coast.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
1
mative but found in Early period and Copo comdrilled for
DZIBILCHALTUN:
suspension
plex deposits (Table 2); 3 worked, two incomplete specimens,
near ventral margin, coated
on both surfaces with
one perhaps a broken triangular

1
red pigment, Formative; 418 unworked, mostly
pendant, Formative;
Early period.
partially cut fragment, Late
Formative, but nevertheless frequent in later deposits
(Table 2). Surprisingly, only 3 occurrences
UAXACTUN:
(K,
p. 61,
unworked,
in
Chicanel deposit
of reasonably entire valves of this hardy shell: 1

in
"Venus campechiensis").
foundation of undated house-mound;
in
Cenote Xlacah, presumably an offering; 16 perfect
Chione cancellata (Linne)

specimens carefully nested, formed

1,
all
of
Cache
Str. 38, Late Early period.
Modern
is
distribution: Entire periphery of the penin-
MAYAPAN:
is
D. robustum Solander
probably
listed
but
sula,
Turneffe
Islands,
B.H.,
shell
to
Isla
Carmen,
almost certainly this subspecies; frequency or
Camp. The commonest

on the north coast.
date,
listed.
although
Decadent period, not

important as
it
Also found on the offshore
atolls.
This
shell clearly not as
was
at Dzibilchaltun (P, p. 387; her fig. 46, a, cap-
DZIBILCHALTUN:
in
76 unworked, commonest
tioned as unidentified Cardium,

subspecies).
is
probably this
Formative, 3 perforated for suspension (2 Formative; 1 Late Early period) (Table 2). Found as
offerings in 1
TIKAL:
34 unmodified,
perforated
(M,
p. 66,
tomb and
3 caches of Late Early
age not noted).
period. 5 specimens found in mortar of a small

section of Str.
500 (Formative).
3
Comment: The Cardiidae
are the
most numerous
MAYAPAN:
period (P,

not in text).
p. 66,
family of molluscs at Dzibilchaltun, although almost
fig. 44,/,
never used for jewelry or artifacts and not

as votive offerings.
common
TIKAL:
25 unmodified (M,
age not listed).
Were
these imported in the shell
and used
Family:
for food?
Anomalocardia cuneimeris (Conrad)

VENERIDAE
(venus clams)
Modern
distribution:
Very
common on
entire pe-
3
riphery of peninsula, from
Isla
MOLLUSCA
Water Cay, B.H.,
to
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Dosinia elegans (Conrad)

Carmen, Camp.
9 unworked, eight Forma-
Modern

east coast.
Contoy
DZIBILCHALTUN:
tive,
on the
Common
on north and west

Aguada, Camp.
one Pure Florescent.
coasts, Isla
Holbox, Q.R.,
to Isla
MA YAP AN:
cardia
Mentioned
p.
as found, probably
De-
cadent period (P,
387).
DZIBILCHALTUN:
tive,
11 unworked, in Forma-
TIKAL: Moholy-Nagy
sp.,
mentions "8 Anomalothis species,
Early period and Florescent deposits, two as
unmodified," probably
not
offerings in Cenote Xlacah; 1 Late Early period
dated
(M-MS).
with single hole for suspension,

considerably
altered
Formative
holes
for
with
drilled
Transennella cubaniana (d'Orbigny)

Illustration:
suspension.
pi.
Warmke and
Abbott, 1961,
39,^.
MAYAPAN:
Proskouriakofr
lists
both elegans
Modern
Isla
distribution: Collected at Isla Mujeres

east coast; only at
and
and concentrica,
illustrating only one,
which
is
Cancun, Q.R., on
coast.
Chavihau,
captioned D. concentrica.
As
concentrica has not
Yuc, on north
been collected on the peninsula and the very similar
but
less inflated
elegans
is
quite
common on
was
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Early period cache.
4 valves, unworked, in Late
the nearby coast,
and
as the local
form had not
Comment: These
conchs in cache.
tiny pelecypods
might have been
when this made, both specimens may be

been
established
fig.
identification
elegans (P, p. 387,
included inadvertently in beach drift inside large
46,c).
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked, For-
mative.
Macrocallista maculata (Linne)
Illustration: Plate *9,g,gg-
TIKAL:
on
all
See under D. discus above.
Modern
from
distribution:
Isla
Common
three coasts,
Family:
TELLINIDAE
(tellins)
Mujeres, Q.R., to
Isla
Carmen, Camp.
Tellina lineata Turton

Also at Cayo Areas.

Modern
unworked,
in unstratified
distribution:
DZIBILCHALTUN:
deposits.
On
east coast, collected only
on Water, Corker, and Chapel Cays, B.H.
Very
Isla
MAYAPAN:
44,;',
common on
2,
north and west coasts, from

to
Isla
with sawed hole below
umbo
fig.
Holbox, Q.R.,
Carmen, Camp. Also
at
for suspension, probably
Decadent period (P,
Cayo Areas.
not in text).
Dosinia concentrica (Born)

Illustration:
DZIBILCHALTUN:
deposit.
unworked,
in
Formative
None.
Modern
distribution:
Not
collected
on peninsula.
MAYAPAN:
Tellina listen
period (P, p. 387).
MAYAPAN:
See discussion of D. elegans below.
Roding
East
Illustration: Plate 20, , b'
Dosinia discus (Reeve)

Illustration:
Modern
collected
distribution:
coast,
from TurnefTe
Q.R.
Also
off-
None.
Islands, B.H., to Puerto Juarez,
Modern
distribution:
Not
on the peninsula.
has
shore
atolls.
this shell
TIKAL:
unworked (M-MS). As
D. elegans
is
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
18 unworked, For-
not been collected from peninsular waters, whereas the very similar
mative.
Tellina radiata Linne
Illustration:
abundant on
all
three coasts
and
at three archaeological sites, the
Tikal specimen
may
be the latter species.
Plate 20, a, aa.
Marine Species
Modern
bean
distribution:
coast,
Fairly
common on
atolls.
Carib-
Turneffe Islands, B.H.,
to
Punta Palmar, Yuc.
from Turneffe
Alacran Reef.
Contoy, Q.R.
Also on offshore
Absent on
north and west coasts.

TIKAL:
ioo
unmodified (M,
p. 66,
not dated).
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
unworked,
Family:
Mulinia
MACTRIDAE
lateralis
(surf clams)
Formative. (Say)
Arcopagia fausta (Pulteney)

Illustration:
Illustration: Plate 20, //,//'.
Plate 20, d,dd.
Modern
from Turneffe
Is-
distribution:
On
west coast, collected only
Modern
as far
north as Seybaplaya,
Camp. Absent on north
lands, B.H., to Isla Contoy, Q.R.
Not
collected
and
east coasts.
from north
coast.
West
coast
from Punta Palmar,

Yuc,
to Isla Jaina,
Camp. Also
1
TIKAL:
listed).
"about 42," unworked (M,
p. 67,
no age
DZIBILCHALTUN:
deposit.
fragment, in Formative
Family:
3
GASTROCHAENIDAE
(=
Rocellaria hians)
pi.
ISLA
CANCUN MIDDEN:
of the
unworked, ForGastrochaena hians (Gmelin)

Illustration:
mative.
Warmke and
Abbott, 1961,
44,^.
Puerto,
Comment: One
few
shells
from Dzbilichaltun
not found on nearby beaches.
Modern distribution: Collected at Telchac Yuc, in coral thrown on beach.

Apolymetis
intastriata (Say)
MAYAPAN:
and north
coasts,
Unworked, reported by Proskouriais
Illustration: Plate 20,<5r.
koff as "Rocellaria sp." (P, p. 387). This
the
Modern
distribution: East
from
only species of this genus
known
in these waters.
Annotated Checklist of Freshwater Species

GASTROPODA Family: AMPULLARIIDAE
Class:
TIKAL:
available
unworked, archaeological context not

p. 68).
(M,
Pomacea
flagellata arata (Crosse
and Fischer)
Pachychilus indiorum (Morelet)

Illustration: none.
Illustration: Plate 21, h.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
Early period
is
fill,
unworked, one
fill.
in
Late
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
Listed as present; archaeo-
one in Formative
in all levels of
This species
in
very
common
mud
logical association not described (C, p. 55).
Cenote
Pachychilus
Illustration:
lar gillierti (Philippi)
Xlacah, where
it is
not found alive today.

45, unworked, about 39 of
deposits, the other
BARTON RAMIE:
these
ish
Willey and others, 1965,
fig. 309,^,/.
from Formative
6 Span-
Lookout phase,
Protoclassic
(W,
pp. 52627,
fig. 309,?-,
"Pomacea
1
flagellata Say").
557 unworked, from various periods, but heavily concentrated in the Formative
phases
BARTON RAMIE:
(W,
TIKAL:
cut fragment, Late Classic debris; 5
pp. 52627, fig. 309,5-,?).
perforated, one in Early Classic cache, one in Early

Classic burial, one in Late Classic burial,
two
in
Comment: Moholy-Nagy (M MS)

cation of one
cal context
notes identifi-
Late Classic debris. 189 unworked were

1964,
archaeological
listed to
"Hemisinus
sp." at Tikal, archaeologi-
context
not yet available
not yet available. She also collected one
(M-MS).
at
1
Tayasal on Lake Flores, and informs
me
that the
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
sic
unworked
in Late Clas-
local
name
is
jute, the
popular
name
for
Pomacea.
cache (C, p. 55).
Comment: The
mens from
Dzibilchaltun specimens have been
PELECYPODA Family: UNIONIDAE

Class:
identified as subspecies arata
by Alan Solem. Speci-
Nephronaias goascoranensis (Lea)

Illustration:
the four other
sites
were
all
published
as P. flagellata Say.
Richards and Boekelman, 1937,
pi.
6,q.
SAN
Pomacea
flagellata ghiesbrechti
JOSE:
unworked,
in burial, probably S.J.
(Reeve)
II
J
(T, p. 180; see also Richards and Boekelman,

pi.
Illustration:
Coe, 1959,
fig.
52, g.
937, P- 169,
69).
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
Classic caches;
1
Various unworked in Late

2 large drilled holes in
Nephronaias ortmanni (Frierson)

Illustration:
with
Late
fig.
309,^.
Classic cache (C, pp.
5556,
fig.
52,^).
BARTON RAMIE:
758
others, all
unworked, 4 perforated
for
Family:
THIARIDAE
suspension, in 2 Spanish Lookout phase burials;
unworked, from various periods
Pachychilus glaphyrus (Morelet)

Illustration:
but mostly in Preclassic contexts

fig.
(W,
pp. 504,
309,^,2/.
507, 526-27,
fig.
309, l-n).
BARTON RAMIE:
phases
248 unworked, from
Nephronaias
vari-
cf.
yzabalensis (Crosse and Fischer)
ous periods, heavily concentrated in the Formative
Illustration: Fischer
and Crosse, 1894,
pi.
44;
figs.
(W,
pp. 52627,
fig. 309,^,*/).
4; A,a;
SAN
in
1
JOSE:
10,
with bored holes for suspension,

IV, V, and possibly
S.J. I;
tombs of
S.J. Ill,
Modern
distributions are not given here as they are not

fresh-
enough known to reflect trade practices. Most water molluscs were probably collected locally.
accurately
others, bored
and unbored, found elsewhere
in
excavations (T, p. 180).
32
Freshwater Species
Psoronaias quadratus (Simpson)
Illustration:
33
in Late
Formative tomb;
unworked, Late Early

Decadent pe-
Coe, 1959,
fig.
52,^.
period.
MAYAPAN:
unworked
52,^),
in Late Clasas
1,
pierced, probably
fig.
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
sic
riod (P, p. 387,
44,^).
burial
(C, p. 55,
is
fig.
"Quadrula
quadrata," which
this species).
Comment:
listed
Unclassified freshwater clams have been

p.
from Uaxactun by the Ricketsons (RR,

lists
Psoronaias semigranosus (v. d. Bush)

Illustration: Plate 21, g.
199) and by Kidder (p. 61). Moholy-Nagy

slightly altered (usually pierced)
61
Unionidae clams,
including five paired valves, and a smaller

pierced for suspension,
of
number
DZIBILCHALTUN:
4,
unworked
valves
(M MS).
Annotated Checklist of Land Species
Land mollusca
present problems separate from
hole),
species
p.
and
"also
unworked
Phalium
is
shells
of a
Phalium
those of their marine or freshwater cousins in that
and Oleacina, which may be intrusive" (P,

fig.
they form an almost ever-present normal

of the materials used for construction
architecture.
component
in
387,
47, w).
a purely
marine genus,
land species
fill
Maya
and could be intrusive only through human agency,
Once favored
living conditions such as
We
see
no reason
to believe that the
open rubble have been established, they migrate

into these artificial environments in
bers.
were of other than natural occurrence,
enormous numthese intruders
ISLA
CANCUN: A
number
of species of small
Workers
are
wont
to retain
land molluscs were found in the deeply sealed parts

of the midden, but they were only those
with
human
as
artifacts collected in excavations, par-
which
during
ticularly as
some
are
most
attractive.
To
establish
would have been expected

its
to inhabit the site
them
human
artifacts,
one must demonstrate their
brief occupation.
provenience in a completely sealed receptacle, show

that they
TIKAL: Moholy-Nagy's
(Chuen)
debris.
preliminary notes
list
were intentionally altered by human
effort,
perforated "Orthalicus princeps" in Late Formative
or prove that they were amassed in quantities
which
She
also
lists
the following un-
could not have occurred in nature. This has rarely
worked molluscs, on which archaeological context

is
been possible in the
Maya
lowlands.
We
have
little
not yet available:

Aplexaelata (Gould) (1)
reason to believe that land molluscs (in contrast to
freshwater genera such as Pomacea) were ever an
important source of food, lodav they are not eaten. r J

. ,
,-r
Euglandina
nelictna
sp.
,.
sp.
(numerous) , N (numerous)
Peninsular species were and are so thin-shelled that

they would have been of no use as raw material and
Neocyclotus (fragment')
Neocyclotus dysoni (Pfeiffer) (30) Orthalicus princeps (Broderip) (30)
most ephemeral ornaments

as pendants.
if
perforated
for
use
Any
usage would probably have been
symbolic.
PIEDRAS NEGRAS: Coe

number
of land mola
single Late
lists
6 land
snails in
Despite these strictures, a

luscs
tions.
Classic
cache,
have been reported
in archaeological publicain this checklist
decussata (Deshayes) and
K-5-5, Euglandina Choanopoma radiosum
For the sake of completeness
(Morelet), but does not state whether or not the
we
briefly list
them, in the customary geographic
cache was found in condition which would disallow

intrusion.
order.
DZIBILCHALTUN:
tions
Although
all
our excava-
BARTON RAMIE:
the Belize Valley
sites:
Willey
lists
3 species
from
were heavily peppered with land molluscs,

all
including tombs and

caches,
but the most tightly sealed

of archaeological use of
.
evidence ,.._,. any was obtained. The

clear
no
largest,
most
attractive,
and
Euglandina carminensis (Morelet) (7) Bulimulus sp. (100)

Neocyclotus dysom (Pfeiffer) (12)
All were unworked.
is
thickly shelled of these, Orthalicus princeps prin-
ceps (Broderip), was frequently encountered, but
He
notes that the Bulimulus

is
never with evidence of intentional alteration.

a
It is
found
in
various periods, but
very heavily
evi-
common
arboreal species.
concentrated in the Formative phases
MAYAPAN:
possible
Proskouriakoff reports 2 specimens
dence that the specimens are not intrusive (W, pp.
of Orthalicus princeps (one pierced by an irregular
52627).
34
Discussion
Ecology
Collection of molluscs by
humans must depend

col-
on what forms are available along any particular

beach or coast and, particularly in the significant
lection for food, in
sandbar separates the swamp from the Gulf of Mexusually extending out as a sandy floor to the edge of the Campeche Bank. All coastal settlements are situated on this sandbar. Water along the shore,
ico,
in strong contrast to
what quantity they
are present.
Some species are found virtually everywhere; others demand rather specific environmental conditions
and are therefore of more
restricted distribution. In
Zone I, is usually murky, either from cienaga mud, or the fine calcareous sand. Accumulations of seaweed are common on the beach.
archaeological shell, these distributions can often

define original proveniences,
and must be
carefully
to reach
taken into consideration
when attempting
any conclusions regarding early trade relationships.
Because of the shallow gradient, wave disturbance is much less severe than on the Caribbean coast. Zone IV, West Coast Province, from Punta Palmar to Isla Carmen and the Laguna de Terminos, Campeche. This coast again is bordered by the Campeche Bank, and the consequent shallow gradient found on the north coast. It is a lee shore, protected by the peninsula from the prevailing
northeast trade winds and lacking the strong eastwest current traversing the north coast. Perhaps because of its protected position, sandy beaches are
The
coast of the
Yucatan Peninsula
falls
into
several quite distinct ecological provinces (fig. 2).
Caribbean Province, comprising the mainland coast and nearby offshore islands of Quintana Roo, Mexico, and British Honduras. Both coast and
Zone
I,
much
are
less
common, and
large sections of the coast
formed of mangrove swamp.

be seen that the north and west coasts are
sharply differentiated from each other
islands are largely a coral-reef formation, character-
It will
ized by alternating sandy and rocky shores dropping off sharply to very deep waters. Water, even near
the shore and inside the islands,
is
much
atolls.
less
ordinarily clear
than they are from the Caribbean Province and the
and clean all year. With offshore winds, which prevail most of the year, waves are frequently very large, and their effects on the shallow-water fauna
very violent.
A number
of the faunal changes (e.g., Stromto
bus costatus to pugilis or Busy con contrarium
perversum) begin well
to the east of
Punta Palmar.
Much
a series of coral
distinctive material
from the west coast may
Zone II, Offshore Atolls, Alacran Reef to Cayo Areas. Along the edge of the Campeche Bank, where
it
well be extensions of the western gulf fauna onto
drops off into deep water, there
is
the peninsula (e.g., Nerita fulgurans, Mulinia lateralis,
reefs, usually in the
form of
atolls,
which seem
to
in-
Lunarca
I
ovalis). It
might well be wiser
(al-
form
a separate ecological province.
The fauna
though
have not done so because of our

to
interest
cludes not only most of the species present on the
in precise provenience)
suggest only the deep,
Caribbean coast and absent on the Campeche Bank, but also others characteristic of the sandy shelf whose outer edge they inhabit. Although numerous, the principal atolls are the so-called Alacran and Triangulos Reefs, Isla Arena, and Cayo Areas, only the first and last of which have been collected by us. (For more detailed description of the geology and ecology of these fringe atolls, see Kornicker and others, 1959; Rice and Kornicker, 1962, 1965.) Zone III, North Coastal Province, from Isla Holbox, Q.R., to Punta Palmar, Yucatan. This is the final extension of the Campeche Bank, which slopes very gradually from the shore to a depth of 25 fathoms at about 100 miles, then drops sharply into deeper water. Virtually the entire north coast is bordered by a brackish-water swamp of mud and
clear-water reef environment as one ecological province (calling Zones

I
and
II
above
and la) and

Zones
the deeply contrasting shallow, turgid waters of the
Campeche Bank IV above II and

are,
as a second (calling
Ila).
III
and
The
faunal changes involved

in the
of course,
more marked
much
larger
collection
in the
of present-day Mollusca than they are

selected species
few
found
in archaeological
deposits.
Table
specifies archaeological
provenience and
known
present-day distribution of the species listed
in the checklist, to facilitate discussion in the next

section. It
should be re-emphasized
at this point that
mangroves
{la cienagd) extensively
mined
for salt,
both before and after the Spanish conquest. Except for a broken area between Dzilam Bravo and the mouth of Rio Lagartos at San Felipe, a low narrow
the
modern
distributions are solely those of our
own
collecting in the area
and
at times
may
often be
incomplete.
35
Fig. 2
Ecological provinces of the Yucatan

III,
littoral. I,
The Caribbean
Coast;
II,
The
offshore atolls bordering the
Campeche Bank;
The North
Coast; IV,
The West
Coast.
36
Discussion
Table
i
37
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
OCCURRENCE AND MODERN DISTRIBUTION OF MOLLUSCS FOUND AT LOWLAND MAYA SITES

Archaeological
Modern Distribution
Zone
I
Species
Occurrence*
Zone
II
Zone
III
Zone IV
MARINE GASTROPODS
Diodora cayenensis Diodora listeri
D,T T
D, C,
I
T
P,
Calliostoma jujubinum
Cittarium pica
Astraea caelata
Astraea phoebia
Astraea tecta americana
Nerita fulgurans Nerita peloronta
D,
I
I,
I I
X X X X X X X X
X X
X
X X X
X X
M(?),T
I
X
X X X X X X X X X X
(not collected)
Nerita tessellata
Nerita versicolor
Neritina meleagris
Neritina virginea
Littorina ziczac
D,I,M(?) I,T
S
D, M,
I I
S,
X X
Echininus nodulosus
Tectarius muricatus
D,I
I I
X
X X X X X X X
Petaloconchus irregularis
Vermicularia spirata
Planaxis nucleus
D,T,P
I
X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X X
Modulus modulus Cerithium eburneum

Cerithium floridanum
T
D,I
U
I
X X X
X X X X X X
Cerithium literattum Cerithium maculosum Cerithium variabile
X
(Pacific)
X
X X
(Pacific)
T
S(?)
Crucibulum auriculum Crucibulum spinosum

Crepidula aculeata Crepidula fornicata
I,T P
X X
T
D,I,T
Strombus costatus Strombus gigas Strombus pugilis
D,M,I
I,U,T(?),B D, M, C, I, S,
I
B,
Strombus raninus Cypraea cervus

Cypraea cinerea Cypraea zebra
X X X X
X X X X
D, I,Tancah(?)
I
X X X X X X X X
X
I,T(?),B
Cyphoma gibbosum
Polinices duplicatus Polinices hepaticus
I,H,U,T(?)
X X X
X
T
I
I
Polinices lacteus
Natica canrena
M, C
Morum Morum
oniscus
K
S,P
I
X X X
(Pacific)
X X
tuberculosum
Phalium granulatum Phalium inflatum
D, M, CN(?)
*Key
to symbols;
~ C CN =
B
Barton Ramie
K
P
S
Chichen Itza
M
T
== Balankanche
Mayapan
San Jose
Tikal
Copan
Dzibilchaltun
=z Piedras Negras
= H
D
I
Cancun Midden Holmul

Isla
zz Uaxactun
38
Archaeological
Species
Cassis madagascariensis
MOLLUSCA
Occurrence*
Zone
IN THE
MAYA LOWLANDS
III
Modern Distribution
I
Zone
II
Zone
Zone
T
I,
Cassis tuberosa
S,
I
Cypraecassis testiculus
M,
I
Charonia variegata
Cymatium femorale Cymatium parthenopeum Cymatium pileare Tonna galea Tonna maculosa Ficus communis Murex dilectus Murex fulvescens Murex pomum Murex rubidus
Purpura patula
Thais deltoidea Thais rustica
M, I, B D,I D,I
I
D,M,I
T
C D.I.T.U
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X
X X X X X X X X
X X X
X X X X
X
X
X
T
I
I I
X X X X X
Columbella mercatoria Cantharus auritulus Melongena corona
D,
I
I,
S,
X
X X X X X X X
X
X
X X
D,M,I
D,
I,
Melongena melongena Busycon coarctatum Busycon contrarium Busycon perversum Busycon spiratum
Nassarius vibex
Fasciolaria hunteria
Fasciolaria tulipa
U, T, B
I,
D,I D, M,
T, U, Oxkintok
X X X
X X X X X X X
(Pacific)
D
D, M,
I,
Labna
U
I,U(?) D, M,I D, M, C,
B, T,
X X X X
X X X X
Pleuroploca gigantea
Latirus ceratus
I,
X X
X X X
not collected)
Latirus infundibulum
T T
D,I,B,H,T,U
(see text)
(not collected)
Turbinella angulata
X X X
X
(
Vasum capitellum Vasum muricatum

Oliva caribaeensis Oliva porphyria
Oliva reticularis
D,I,T
I
X X
(Pacific)
CN,
T
I,
D, M, C,
B, T, U, Labna,
X
X
(Pacific)
Loltun, Tancah
Oliva sayana Oliva spicata

Olivella dealbata
D, M, I, B, Loltun
S,
T, U, Labna,
CN
D,K,I
I I
Olivella nivea
Mitra florida
Cancellaria reticulata
X X X
X X
T
(see text)
Prunum apicinum apicinum Prunum apicinum virgineum Prunum guttatum Prunum labiatum Prunum cf. storeria
Conus Conus Conus Conus Conus
floridanus
X X
CN
T
X X X X
X
D, M,
I
I,
U, T,
D, M, C,
X X X X X X
X X X
X X X
T D
I
(not collected)
mus
regius
X X X
(
I
I
sozoni
spurius atlanticus
(not collected)
I,
Terebra dispar (?)

Bulla occidentalis
D, M, S(?)
T, Labna
X X X
X
not collected)
D
I
Melampus
coffeus
X X
X X
SCAPHOPODS
Dentalium
t.
cestum
B(?),Corozal
Discussion
39
Archaeological
Species
Mode rn Distribution
Zone
I
Occurrence*
Zone
II
Zone
III
Zone IV
MARINE PELECYPODS
Area imbricata Area pacifica
LP U
D, M,
I,
X
T, U, P
X
(Pacific)
X X
(Pacific)
x
X
Area zebra Anadara grandis
X
X
X X X X
CN
D,I
Anadara notabilis Anadara transversa Lunarca ovalis

Noetia ponderosa
D,M, T
T,B(!)
D,
I
X X
X X
T X
I
Glycymeris decussata Glycymeris undata
X X X
X X X x X X X X X X X
X X
M,
Modiolus
d. granosissimus
D
D,T T
D,I D,I
X X
X
Brachidontes exustus
Musculus
lateralis
{not collected)
Isognomon Isognomon
Pteria
alatus
radiatus
colymbus
D
D, M,
I,
Pinctada radiata
Atrina seminuda
Plicatula gibbosa
D
D,T(?)
I
Pecten laurenti
Lyropecten nodosus Lyropecten subnodosus
D,I,T
U,
X X X X X X X X
X X X
X X X X
X X X X X X
X
(Pacific)
Aequipecten gibbus
Aequipecten muscosus
Corozal
D
D, M, K,
I,
Spondylus americanus Spondylus princeps
B, T,
Actun Xkyc
X X X
(Pacific)
X X X
CN,
I
S, Pusilha,
U, T, P
Lima lima Lima scabra Anomia simplex

Ostrea equestris
D,
I
I
M
I,
Ostrea frons
Crassostrea virginica
D, D,
S,
Corozal
Carditamera floridana
Pseudocyrena floridana
Diplodonta semiaspera
D D
I
X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X
X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X
(Pacific)
Lucina pensylvanica
Phacoides pectinatus Phacoides radians
X X X
X X X X
D,I
D
D,
I,
Codakia orbicularis
B,
Chama congregata Chama echinata Chama florida Chama macerophylla Chama sarda Chama sinuosa
Pseudochama radians
Trachycardium egmontianum
D
T
I
I, I
X X
S,
Corozal
X X X
X X X
X X
X
X
I I
X X X X X
X X X X X X
T(?)
{not collected)
Trachycardium isocardia
Trachycardium
D,M,T(?)
i,u
D, M,I, T, U, P
D, M,
I
X
X
magnum
vanhyningi
Trachycardium muricatum
Dinocardium
Antigona
r.
listeri
Antigona rigida
Mercenaria campechiensis
X X X X X
X X X X
X
X
X
X X
X
P,u
D,M, T
D, M,
Chione cancellata
Anomalocardia cuneimeris
Transennella cubaniana
Macrocallista maculata
X X X X
X
D D,M
T(?)
D, M,I
Dosinia discus
{not collected)
Dosinia elegans
4
Archaeological
Species
Tellina lineata
MOLLUSCA
Occurrence*
D,
I
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Modern Distribution
Zone
I
Zone
II
Zone
III
Zone IV
Tellina
listeri
Tellina radiata
Arcopagia fausta
D,I
Apolymetis
Mulinia
intastriata
lateralis
T T
X X X X X
X X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
{not sufficiently collected)
Gastrochaena hians
M
D, B, T, P
FRESHWATER GASTROPODS
Pomacea Pomacea
flagellata arata
f.
ghiesbrechti
Pachychilus glaphyrus Pachychilus indiorum Pachychilus

largillierti
B,T
P B
FRESHWATER PELECYPODS
Nephronaias aff. calamitarum Nephronaias goascoranensis Nephronaias ortmanni Nephronaias cf. yzabalensis Psoronaias quadratus Psoronaias semigranosus
D
S
B
S
M
M
B P
LAND GASTROPODS
Oleacina sp.
Euglandina carminensis Euglandina decussata Euglandina sp.

Orthalicus princeps princeps
T
D(?),M,T
B
Bulimulus
sp.
Aplexa elata
Neocyclotus dysoni
T
B,T
P
Choanapoma radiosum
Helicina sp.
T
species
Total: 192
Discussion
4*
(i), Cittarium pica (1), Tectarius murlcatus (5, in
Trade
Table
1
gives
some
definite clues to probable trade
one cache offering), Nerita

f austa
tessellata (1),
Arcopagia
activities in ancient times.
Two
categories
show up
(*)
One specimen
were
,
of Noetia ponderosa
was
immediately
A. Shells from coastal midden (only Isla Cancun, to date). These were Mollusca collected at
coastal
probably traded from the west coast of the peninsula. Shells
clearly not
an item of desiderata
in tradC) pro bably because of their

, , '
abundance on
encampments
either for
immediate
eat-
ing or, at the most, for extraction of the edible portions of the animal for shipment inland. One would expect them to be entirely of local fauna, and therefore irrelevant to matters of
trade or commerce.
t,
At Mayapan, 50 miles
farther inland, a
much
smaller collection of shell produced a similarly strik-
ing lack of trade specimens.

1
The
exception, as at
Dzibilchaltun, was the Oliva used for tinklers, of

c u ,, which ,, 73 were found. Only three shells were clearly im P orted fr m * distance, all from the east coast:
1
ci it B. bnells
from inland sites (the balance of our material). These finds of Mollusca were in largest part brought from the ocean for use of the
at sites close to the sea,
1
/111
,-.
<
Glycymeris undata (1), Cymatium femorale (1),
than the animal inside, although such as Dzibilchaltun, some animals may have been brought in their ...
shell rather
1
and Cypraecassis
shell artifacts
1
testiculus (1).
from Chichen
1
Itza have mostly not

at
.
shells as table delicacies.
Deen identified by species. As
-j
*-c
u r Mayapan, ^ Ulivas
.
...
'
for tinklers are very
common
(77).
No
I
other evi-
Category A, the
Isla
Cancun
series, is, as
would
dence published by Proskouriakoff (1962) indicates

trade other than with the north coast.
be expected, entirely composed of local material.
The
found one
99
species listed are without exception
found on the
complete and unaltered Murex fulvescens on the

surface in the Modified Florescent complex. This
local beaches today.
The
dwellers at the
midden may
imported
well have exported both seafood and shells.
was almost
might
surely imported
from southern Cam-
Category
as such.
is
composed of
shells largely
peche or the west shore of the Gulf of Mexico,

Archaeological shell from Yucatan proper, in sum-
An
examination of where these
shells
have come from shows interesting evidence of trade.
mary, although found in huge quantities, seems
to
We
stress
again at this point that the

1
modern
distri-
have been gathered mostly along the north
coast,
butions listed in Table

lections
are based
on our own
col-
The
Olivas are an exception, but were available at

coast.
and may be incomplete, but we

below.
believe these
no great distance on the west

specimens were brought
in,
handful of
reservations are not sufficient to invalidate the general patterns described
possibly as souvenirs,
from the Caribbean

ous pilgrims
probability of faunal
coast,
perhaps by the numervisited the shrines of
We
also note here (as discussed fully in the next
who we know
section)
that there
is
little
pre-Columbian Cozumel Island. In terms of trade

in shell, the northwest peninsula
logically self-contained.
change on the shores of the peninsula during the

brief
tions.
seems
to
have been
20003000
At
Isla
is
years represented by our collecpositive evi-
Cancun, where we have
Barton Ramie and other Belize River Valley
settle-
dence, there
no hint of difference
in the
2200 years
ments share the general pattern of the northern

described above (Willey and others, 1965).
snails
sites
between the midden collections and present-day

shore fauna.
Land
and clams, doubtless gathered

Formative
less
locally,
formed
At Dzibilchaltun, only 33 of
represent species not
diately adjacent
reticularis
the 2,380 specimens
a vast majority of the

at other
sites
shell
encountered;
commonly found on the immenorth coast. Of the 33, 23 are Oliva

caribaeensis),
they are
sea,
frequent. Despite the

first
proximity of the
marine species do not
appear in
spe-
and O. sayana (or
which
and
numbers only
cies
in the Classic period.
could have
come from
as
either east or west coast,
identified by Willey
The nine offer much
clue
which were,
tinklers.
noted below, so widely used as

that although
its
to
broader trade relations. They could have been
The remaining handful show

all
imported from nearby British Honduras beaches,
Dzibilchaltun utilized in
periods largely
local
exist.
where (with one

found.
Atlantic species,
possible exception)
all
are to be
all
molluscan fauna, trade from a distance did
The numerous Spondylus

Jose
in
are
of the
Nine
shells of five species
were probably imported

Fissurella
from the Caribbean
coast:
barbadensis
At San
British
Honduras, Thompson
42 (1939) reports nine Atlantic species, none of limited distribution which might give hints of trade, all of
sus,
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
and Spondylus princeps. (See pp. 4345 for
further discussion of these trade pieces.)
which we
collected along the nearby
Caribbean
coast.
Tikal, near Uaxactun in the Peten, has recently
More
interesting are reportings of
two
shells
from
produced an impressive quantity of archaeological

shell.
the Pacific coast: Spondylus princeps
and
tuberculosum (as "Lambidium tuberculosa
Morum morum"
of both
Hattula Moholy-Nagy published a valuable

report
preliminary
(1963)
of
material
gathered
which
is
this species).
We
shall see
more
through the 1962 season. She generously offered

us further manuscript notes on specimens acquired
the latter species below.
At Holmul, near the

inordinate
tifications.
British
Honduras border
in
through 1964, of which
we have made
still
grateful use.
Guatemala, Merwin and Vaillant (1932) report an
Much
material from Tikal
remains unidentified,
amount
of shell but give no specific iden-
or identified only to genus, and
much
has not yet

lots,
only
both
From their illustrations, we can identify Cyphoma gibbosum and Turbinella angulata, common on the nearby coast. Vaillant notes
8889):
of so
c
been collated with stratigraphic position of the

but
this
must await future
publication. Seventeen
of the 47 presently identified Atlantic species have a sufficiently restricted distribution to warrant spe-
(ibid., pp.
^l 1 he presence
the
j much worked
1
shell at
11
XJ 1 ,1 Holmul
cific
raises the question of the source of
manufacture of
inferences regarding trade. Six of these come from Caribbean waters: Fissurella barbadensis (1),
raw product. In view
of the isolated character of
Cittarium pica (3), Nerita versicolor (5), Cassis

madagascariensis (2), C. tuberosa (1), and Strom-
the site, during Periods II-IV, as attested by the pottery, it seems strange to observe shell as the only evidence of trade relations with a coastal people. .,,1 r t> u tu j c that of British Honduras was of
is
possible
most
It, from
bm gigas
,
have been co n ected on l y _. . ,. N the north and east coasts: Diodora listen (1) v '
( x )
Two
species
low culture until the closing days of the "Old Empire," and the manufacture of shell into ornaments was done at Holmul. On the other hand high cultures might have existed in the seaboard contemporaneously with Holmul, while only their i r 11 It is ornaments were sought by the inland folk. tcertainly true that there is almost no evidence of Holmul IIIV pottery on the coast, so that social
relatively
1
,.
and Apoly metis

lected only
intastriata (1).
Two
have been
coasts:
col-
from the north and west
Can-
cellaria reticulata (6)
Two
and Anadara transversa (29). haye been taken only Qn the west coast 0Um
.
sayana |i) and '

l
'
Murex rubidus
to
, .
...
(1). v >
rive
species v
have been collected only on the southernmost west

coast,
where they seem
be overlappings of a
relations cannot
have been very

cities
close.
In the inland
picture
of the southern lowlands, the
western Gulf shore fauna: Nerita julgurans (3), Pohnices duplicatus (3), Lunarca ovalis (8), Noetia
was very
different.
large
amount
of shell
ponderosa (22), and. Mulinia
lateralis (42).
Thus,
was traded from great

reflects the existence of a
distances, often apparently
where we can make an educated guess

ence, 8 of 17 species
at proveni-
from much farther than necessary. This probably
and only 15 of 130 specimens
number
of well-established
originated on the nearby Caribbean shore, whereas
trade routes.
9 of 17 species and 115 of 130 specimens seem to
Uaxactun, in the central Peten, produced the

first
have been traded in from the
much more
distant
considerable collection of shell from the area
Gulf of Mexico.
the reverse.
We
would have expected much

from Tikal are of
Pacific
(Ricketson and Ricketson, 1937; Kidder,
1947).
Of
the 19 species of Atlantic molluscs reported, 5
Six species reported

origin:
give
some hint
as to provenience.
Three
species
have
Cerithium maculosum (1), Latirus, prob(
been collected only on the Caribbean coast and were
ably L. ceratus
1), Oliva
porphyria (9), Lyropecten

echinata (32), and Spon-
presumably traded from that area: Strombus gigas,
subnodosus (n),
Chama
Cyphoma gibbosum, and Trachycardium magnum.
dylus princeps (150-)-). Actually, over 500 additional
Two
species
have been found only on the north and
Spondylus fragments (divided almost equally

could
not be
west coasts and were presumably traded from that

area: Fasciolaria hunteria
ensis. It
is
between beads and cached chips)
and Mercenaria campechiin trade contact

coasts.
classified as Atlantic or Pacific species.
clear that
Uaxactun was
with both the Caribbean and Gulf
At Copan, Honduras, Longyear (1952) found but five species, only one of which is Atlantic in
origin: "Marginella apicina,"
Three
species
from Uaxactun were imported from

Area
pacifica,
which we have noted
the Pacific coast:
Lyropecten subnodo-
above
is
probably Prunum apicinum virgineum.
Discussion
shell illustrated {ibid., fig. 94, e)
43
but not mentioned
The
first,
Oliva porphyria,
is
an exceptionally beautiVIII) and, given the
in the text
is
clearly of the
genus Phalium, probably
ful shell (see
Keen, 1958,
pi.
the species granulatum referred to above collected on

the east coast of the peninsula.
are:
very widespread fondness for tinklers,

attractive
in
much more
The
Pacific species
color
and design than any of the
Oliva porphyria, O. spicata, Anadara grandis

("S.
Atlantic
figs.
Olivas.
Boekelman (1935, pp. 26772,
("Area grandes"), and Spondylus princeps
813)
discusses distribution of this shell out-
crassisquama"). These proveniences are remarkable

in that the bulk of shell
side
far
the lowland
as
Maya
area,
noting
in
its
trade as
Islands.
from the
site
was imported
Roatan and Guanaja
the
Bay
from the more distant
Pacific ocean.
He
identified the species

stelae
on ornamented
girdles
on
Piedras Negras, on the Usumacinta River, has an

equally interesting molluscan fauna, although shell
Copan "Wherever
four
it
and one from Quirigua, noting,

is
the shell
found sculptured
in stone,
does not seem to have been as abundant or varied

as at other sites.
is
probable that the natural shell will be found
Of
eight marine species reported
also."
at
Longyear subsequently found the natural on Tikal
shell
(Coe, 1959), five are Atlantic,
only one of which
Copan. Moholy-Nagy points out several represenstelae,
may
be of significant distribution:
in
Cittarium pica
tations of this shell
again as belt
shell
is
("Livona pica"), which
our peninsular collections

it
ornaments. And, as noted above, the natural

also
has appeared only on the Caribbean coast, where

is
found
there.
is
very
common. -Three
species are of Pacific origin:
The
second, Spondylus princeps,
again a
strik-
Crucibulum spinosum,
Morum
tuberculatum, and
.
ingly beautiful shell (see Keen, 1958,
pi. II),
un-
Spondylus princeps ("S. limbatus") Again we have

the anomalous situation that half the species, and the bulk of actual shell found, are imported from the Pacific
closer
derstandably traded very widely in pre-Columbian
Boekelman (1935, pp. 26266, figs. 47) outlines its history of use and its distribution: "The
times.
and the Caribbean instead
of the
much
as
at
writer has been able to trace
its
use from the Souththe
Gulf of Mexico. At Piedras Negras,

is
western
district of the
Barton Ramie, there
extensive offertory use of
Peruvian
territory,
down to throughout which, among

United States
the
it
freshwater and land molluscs (six species).
higher types of cultures along the Pacific Coast,

appears to have been a very highly prized
especially closely connected
Quite different patterns emerge for the northern and. southern
shell,
Maya
lowlands. In the north
Dzibilchaltun, Mayapan, and
Chichen
Itza the
at
with religious supersti-
tions" (ibid., p. 265).
It
has been found at San Jose,

p.
overwhelming mass of archaeological

ful of exceptions
shell is trace-
Pusilha, B.H.
fig. 1),
(Gruning, 1930,
483,
pi.
XXI,
able to the nearest convenient beaches, with a hand-
Tikal, Uaxactun, Copan, and Piedras Negras
apparently brought from the more
in the
lowlands and was probably present

sites
at other
distant Caribbean coast. Interest in the sea
and
its
southern
where the genus
is
common
but the
products
is
emphatic here
as
it is
elsewhere, but local
species not differentiated.
Wherever
intensive exca-
supply seems to have been the dominant factor in

choice.
vation has been undertaken in the south, Spondylus
seems
sites
to
have been of constant ceremonial import,
In the south, where most
are at
some distance
as well as the
raw material
for a
number
of artifacts.
from the
sea,
trade
routes or selective choice of
To
explain the frequent occurrence of the Pacific
material were obviously stronger factors than simple
species
on the Atlantic watershed, Boekelman notes

be considered
geographic propinquity, perhaps because of ethnic

barriers of
that the Atlantic species does not contain the deep
which we are not
yet aware.
Where we
red colors of princeps. There

the fact that both americanus
is
also to
have evidence worthy of consideration, the tides of

trade
and princeps are deni-
which brought
in shells to the
Peten area in
zens of deep water (10 fathoms or more) and could
general
came from
the distant Gulf of Mexico, not
be collected
skilled
in
pre-aqualung days only by very
the closer Caribbean shores

pect simple forms of sea
whence one would
ex-
divers.
Groups of such
divers
(e.g.,
played an
the King-
life to
be collected. Perhaps
important role on the Pacific coast
more
the
significant, the southern
Maya lowlands im-
dom of Colima paid

of 1600 valves),
an annual tribute
to
Montezuma
beyond the
ported a very large proportion of their shell from
and the profession must have been

feats
much more
distant Pacific coast.

is
important. Such
would be
far
With two
species, this
quite understandable.
ability of the Atlantic or
Gulf coast fishermen of
Fig. 3
Trade
relations suggested by archaeological finds of Mollusca in the

I,
C, Chichen Itza; Cn, Copan; D, Dzibilchaltun; H, Holmul; T, Tikal; U, Uaxactun.
Isla
lowland Maya area. B, Barton Ramie; Cancun; M, Mayapan; P, Palenque; S, San Jose;
44
Discussion
today,
45
in a
and probably were
early
times.
Trade
answer
Cerithium maculosum (1) and Latirus, probably

L. ceratus (1) at Tikal,
would obviously have been

Spondylus
actually
more
efficient
than transplantation of divers over such distances.

is
Oliva spicata (14) at
Anadara grandis (1) and Copan, and Crucibulum spino-
common
shell
on the
sum
(1) at Piedras Negras. These are positive evi-
beaches of both oceans, but by the time dead valves

are
dence of the strength of Pacific trade connections,

but they were probably items that filtered in with
the
thrown on the beach they have always
lost the
feathery fronds
which make the
shell so impressive.
all
trade
rather
than
called
causing or
supporting
it.
These beach-worn specimens, however, have
the
Moholy-Nagy has
my attention to the fact that,

all
cameo
that
qualities of white, orange,
and red layering

extensively,
with the possible exception of Spondylus princeps,
made
the shell such a valuable material for artibeads.
trade in Pacific species apparently terminated by the
facts, particularly
They were used

t-,,. 1 his
,
end of the Early Classic
at Tikal.
as
,
we have
...
seen above, at the northern

,
1
sites for just

,
these utilitarian purposes.

at the
could have been true
Temporal Factors
Table
2
southern
sites,
where the raw material was

It
was prepared
partly to
summarize Dzibil-
relatively near at
hand.
would be
interesting to
chaltun archaeological molluscs, partly to plot these
pursue further the identification of the less glamorous specimens in the southern lowlands to see
if
by pciiods
to see if
time was a significant factor in
the choice of specimens. Examination of the table
they are possibly the beach-worn specimens of the

Atlantic species, americanus,
makes
it
clear that
vogues
in shell definitely
changed
which were abundant

and Piedras Negras,
tuberculosum
from period
ously
to period.
nearby.
The numerical frequency

Jose
is
of shells as listed obviof excavation in debris
At widely separated San

was used
for tinklers.
related to the
amount
the Pacific mulberry shell,
Morum
of the various periods.

subjective appraisal. It
Of
is
this
we
can
make
only a
The
Piedras Negras examples
our belief (and
this
must
are striking, as the almost identical Atlantic species,
be only approximate) that our actual excavations

into debris of the various periods
is
M.
the
oniscus,
was common on the nearby shores of

another tinkler from
in
fairly closely
Gulf of Mexico. Because of these southern

the
proportionate to the frequency of such deposits at

the
tion
site.
occurrences,
Gruta de
There were two periods of great popula-
Balankanche
tified as
Yucatan was
also tentatively iden-
(and therefore deposition): the Dzibilchaltun
tuberculosum. Later comparison with modit
Middle Formative, roughly 500300 b.c, and the

Late Early period and Pure Florescent, roughly
a.d.
ern specimens indicated that

Atlantic
species,
was probably the
although
its
much
altered
and
450750. Between these peaks, and
after the
eroded condition makes the identification doubtful.
second (from Modified Florescent to modern times),

the population
Lyropecten
is
another large, often very brightly
was
greatly reduced.
We
believe that
colored and attractive shell,
which would under-
the frequencies recorded in Table 2 reflect fairly

accurately the
standably be traded to great distances.

species nodosus, relatively
The
Atlantic
amount
of shells used at Dzibilchaltun
common on
for
the entire
in the various periods.
The
differing figures
from
peninsular
periphery,
was used
pendants in
the
two peak periods of occupation are probably
Yucatan. At Uaxactun only the Pacific species sub-
proportionate.
The
paucity
of
specimens
during
nodosus
is
found, and at Tikal most specimens are
epochs of low population
will, of course, reflect the
of this species, although imported
from
much
paucity of deposition in those times rather than a
greater distance
another
is
item to accentuate the
diminished use of molluscs by the fewer inhabitants.
Pacific trade route.
Ceramic complexes and broader cultural periods

another attractive Pacific
bi-
Chama
valve, of
echinata
do not always coincide

Pure Florescent
at
Dzibilchaltun (or
else-
which 32 unworked and worked were

It
is
where). Architecture of the Late Early period and

is
found
at Tikal.
less
colorful
and much
in Atlantic
less
unmistakably different, but the
graceful than the Atlantic species, such as C. macerophylla,
pottery of this entire span,
which we
call
the
Copo
which were quite common

six
and
complex, continues with only minor change. So,
Gulf waters, much
closer to the Peten.
when
Uaxactun,
excavations and the resultant stratigraphy are
The
other Pacific coast imports are scarce and

shells:
associated
readily
with
architecture,
we can
distinguish
unimpressive
Area
paeifica (2) at
between the two periods; but when the
46
association
is

purely ceramic, as
is
often the case,
times as
many
shells as the latter
(1,409
vs.
is
522).
we
in
cannot.
The column headed "Copo complex"

this less firmly
This
is
despite the fact that the latter epoch
much
Table 2 includes
Although, as
dated material.
richer in artifacts, of shell or other material.
we have
just noted, the excavated
Closer examination of Table 2

this disparity
is
makes
it
clear that
deposits of the Formative
and the Late Early period

it
mostly traceable to several species
-Pure Florescent were

is
of roughly equal volume,
of shell which were present in great abundance in
interesting that the former contains almost three
Formative deposits and rare or absent
later.
Table
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
Early
Period
II
I
SHELL FROM DZIBILCHALTUN

Pure
Modified
Flores-
Early
Species
Black
on
Formative
Period
u GASTROPODA
Diodora cayenensis
Copo Complex
Flores-
WUWUWU
cent cent
Cream
WU
Decadent
Unstratified
WUWUW
cenote
Cittarium pica
Nerita tessellata
Neritina virginea
Tectarius muricatus
1
1
Vermicularia spirata
Cerithium eburneum Crepidula fornicata
Strombus costatus Strombus pugilis Cypraea cervus Phalium inflatum Cymatium parthenopeum
236
1
1 1
23
46
12
16
10
10
96
19
Cymatium pileare Ficus communis Murex pomum

Columbella mercatoria
53
2
13
21
96+
1
Melongena corona Melongena melongena Busycon coarctatum Busycon contrarium Busycon perversum Busycon spiratum
Fasciolaria tulipa
215 133
2
1
1
3
1
226
I35
>
I
1
86
1
11
10
1
127
I
12
38'
27
15
1
Pleuroploca gigantea Turbinella angulata
3
1
1 1
4
5
4 4
1
14
Vasum muricatum
Oliva reticularis Oliva sayana
Olivella dealbata
i
29 28
3
1
212
7
1 1
I0
,
13
14 28
75
1 1
Prunum apicinum virgineum Prunum labiatum

Conus floridanus Conus spurius atlanticus
Bulla occidentalis
1
1
14 105
4
46
1
54
2
1
*
3
12
PELECYPODA
Area zebra
2
Anadara notabilis Anadara transversa

Noetia ponderosa
1
4*
3 3
5
Modiolus
d.
granosissimus
L
2
2 3 3
Brachidontes exustus
Isognomon Isognomon
Pteria
alatus
37
1
35
2
23
105
4
radiatus
Pinctada radiata
colymbus
2
II
Discussion
Table
Early
Species
2
47
Continued
Modified
Flores-
Early
Period
II
Pure
Copo
Flores-
Black
on
Format1Ve
Period
I
U
Atrina seminuda
Plicatula gibbosa
WU WU
11
5
Complex
W
1
WU WU WU WU
cent
cent
Cream
Decadent
Unstratified
Cenote
Total
28
1
Aequipecten muscosus
Lyropecten nodosus Spondylus americanus 10
34
12
I
2
I
63
21
3
Anomia simplex
19
3 7
2
1
Pseudocyrena floridana Diplodonta semiaspera Phacoides pectinatus
Phacoides radians
12
2
1
6
1
1
1
8
1
Codakia orbicularis
Chama
congregata
15
3
2
1 I
Trachycardium isocardia Trachycardium muricatum Dinocardium r. vanhyningi

Mercenaria campechiensis
19
1
15
2
3
1
223 28
37
8
3
1
4 77
5
1
58 18
10
1 1
7
1
79
11
18
419 49 79
9 4
2
2
2
Chione cancellata Anomalocardia cuneimeris

Transennella cubaniana
Macrocallista maculata
17
13
4
3
1
1
Dosinia elegans
Tellina lineata
13
1
1
Arcopagia fausta
FRESHWATER MOLLUSCA
Pomacea
flagellars arata
aff.
Nephronaias
cal^mitarum
2,376
Total: 73
species
U, unworked;
W,
worked.
Most striking are Melongena melongena and M. corona, of which there are 348 specimens, from
Formative deposits, only 8 datable as Early period
or Florescent. These were found in cache offerings,
pods appeared in impressive abundance during the
Formative period, but continued

during
later periods.
in
moderate use
cockles, par-
These include the
ticularly the oversized
Dinocardium
r.
vanhyningi,
but were also scattered through domestic debris,
sometimes in
that these
piles.
We
shall state later
our
belief
Ficus communis, and Fasciolaria tulipa, as well as most of the larger conchs of the genera Strombus,
were brought
in to eat,
although such
Busycon, Pleuroploca, and Turbinella.
It
will be
scavengers are
now
considered inedible.
is
Another example
the
Marginella.
The
tiny
noted later that the disproportion between periods may reflect a change to bringing only the meat,
rather than animal with shell
for table use.
Prunum apicinum
virgineum, of which 105 were
and
all,
from the ocean
found (75 with a hole broken for suspension as beads), is almost entirely Formative in occurrence,
only
1
Only two
distributions follow a reverse pattern.
datable to later periods.

beautiful cousin
is
Its
larger
and much
Of
21
Anomia
simplex, none are from Formative
more
Prunum
labiatum; of 54
deposits.
And
of 63 Spondylus americanus, only 5
specimens, 47 were Formative period, only 3 datable to later deposits. Unlike the tiny-Marginellas, these
beauties were apparently not collected for beads;
are of Formative age. Both these cases

reflect
probably
an increase of jewelry making
in Early period
and Florescent times.

Although
it
only one was possibly perforated for suspension.
is
possible to
do no more than con-
Their use
medicinal.
is
problematical, perhaps
religious
or
jecture their significance, these striking changes of
mode from Formative

of other larger pelecypods
to later times are definitely
number
and
gastro-
present.
48
MOLLUSCA
as
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS

that cults of interest
to the very
Use of Shells
It is
Votive Offerings
2 that the vast
is
We
preponderdid
shall see in
many ways
plain
from Table
exist,
and some of these can be traced
ance of shell from Dzibilchaltun
completely un-
distant past. Shells
were deeply involved
in
Maya
to
worked. Only 333

out of a
total of
shells or identifiable
fragments
ideas of cosmogeny.
2,376 showed any sign of working,
(Schellhas'
The Old God and Anders' God N,

"The Mam")
conch on
is
of the ancients
referred
by
about 14 per cent.
The
larger part of these
were tiny
Thompson
ally as
as
frequently depicted
Marginellas worked as beads and small nacreous
as carrying a large
his back,
and occasion-
fragments possibly used in mosaic.
emerging from one. The godhead and the
Some
table,
of the shells
were doubtless brought

still
for the
molluscan symbol are associated with the underworld, with death, and (according to Forstemann)
the five unlucky days at
but this would
not account for the bulk
of material found.
Other
shell
was probably brought

as ornaments, or for
Uayeb
at the
end of the
year.
in for slight alteration
and use
By
extension, the shell
became associated with water,
simple raw material in jewelry; but the
number
for
of
as
with the
moon
goddess Ixchel (who was the goddess
unworked specimens cannot be accounted

simply an artisan's backlog.
of fertility and childbirth and also a water deity),
and with
shell
childbirth. In hieroglyphic writing, the
The Maya seem

led to a
to
have endowed the marine
was symbolic
of completion, being used as the
mollusc with magic or symbolic properties which
basic glyph for zero
and a component of various

pp. 13334), examines this
number
of ritual (or possibly only superI
glyphs describing completion, such as period-ending

signs.
stitious) usages. Unfortunately,
know
of no sur-
Thompson (1950,
in
vival of such beliefs or practices into historic times..
symbolism
a
some
detail
and
illustrates
(fig.
21)
"Ethnomalacology"
This
is
in this area
is
an empty word.
number
of graphic representations.
is
More com-
in startling contrast to the
Maya's continu-
parative material
assembled by Schellhas (1904),
ing knowledge of their botanical environment.
My
Merida housekeeper's Maya vocabulary

species
as
is
is
for
plant
Spinden (191 3, pp. 83-84, figs. 108-11), Tozzer (1957, p. 107, figs. 166-83) and Anders (1963,
awesome
in size
and
in specific definition,
numerous
Most
conch are
references
and
illustrations).
her knowledge of their
life
history
and medici-
of the portrayals of the

in the codices,
Old God with the

of
nal qualities.
Time
after time, as
we
as
some
which probably
in
collect plants,
lists
she gives most specific

therapeutic properties
Maya names and

if
of
date to not long before the conquest. But the concept

is
which look
they were
much
earlier one. Several
columns
Modi-
borrowed verbatim from the early works of George
fied Florescent structures at
Chichen Itza portray
Gaumer or from Ralph Roys's Ethnobotany of the Maya (1931). But despite the 73 species at inland
Dzibilchaltun, our informant
describing shells
to obtain
an old
man emerging from a large conch shell (Spinden, 191 3, fig. no; Tozzer, 1957, fig. 175).
of the gold disks recovered
at
knows only one word

even
Two
Well
from the Sacred
the Spanish word concha. Efforts

for
Chichen
an old
Itza portray this motif (cf. Lothrop,

fig.
Maya names
marine
shells,
among
generic
1952, pp. 6162,

figure
is
43). In one the emerging

well have been
is
man who might
the coastal population, were fruitless.
The
God N.
In the other, however, the figure
clearly
term hub occurs in early dictionaries with the meaning of

p.
'shell'
that of the deity with the long, decorated nose
whom
more
to
or 'shell trumpet' (e.g., Perez, 186677,

is still
Schellhas called
later.
God K,
of
whom we
shall see
143) and
occasionally used in the
more
cites
Lothrop believed these gold disks belong
general
the
sense
today.
Roys (1931,
p.
328)
the very beginnings of the "Toltec" period (Modified Florescent) at
name boc for tionary. 1 Any cult

vanished.
oyster in the
San Francisco Dic-
Chichen
Itza, as the central panels
of interest has certainly long since
contain design forms which are largely of Mexican

plateau inspiration, and the peripheries
still
con-
1 Prof.
Alfredo Barrera Vasquez, whose knowledge of

is
Maya
is
faunal and floral terminology
unparalleled,
knows
of only
of
one
specific
marine molluscs,
"pel"
p.
is
name; Pleuroploca gigantea, the largest of our is called chacpel. "Chac" means red in Maya; the vernacular ("termino indecente" Perez, 186677,
for the
275)
female genitalia. The brilliant red Pleuroploca
somewhat graphically separated from the white animal Strombus and Busycon, or the black Turbinella, the other large conchs. Both Pleuroploca and Turbinella, however, are known to most modern coastal fishermen by the Spanish name abulon. Some popular names for freshwater and land molluscs will be mentioned below.
thus
Discussion
tain pure
49
sea. Precisely
research
Maya glyphic forms and designs. Recent has shown that such "Toltec" motifs did apCasa de
date.
las
what the
religious or superstitious con-
text of this association was,
we
shall
probably never
of other forms
pear far back into the Pure phase of the Florescent.
know, but the continuous presence

offerings,
The
at
Iglesia, attached to the

is
Monjas
of the
of marine animals with shells in caches, and other
Chichen,
of
Pure Florescent
Two
must be
significant.
niches in the front facade of this structure contain representations in carved stucco of individuals
In the paragraphs below
we
shall
touch only upon
raw
shells intentionally
introduced as such. Jewelry
emerging from conch

Bolles,
shells
(best
illustrated
by
of shell or shell perforated for use as jewelry are
1963). Tozzer has suggested that these might

later
not considered
germane
to
this
topic,
and
will
have been
replacements of original carvings,

is
be described in separate volumes on
"Tombs and
only seven
but no such stuccowork

Florescent.
known from
the Modified
Bliss Col-
Caches" and "Artifacts."
polychrome bowl from the
Of
the
many tombs
shells.
at Dzibilchaltun,
lection, said to be from Yucatan (Lothrop, i957>

pi.
have offerings of
Two
are Formative
and
five
LXXXII),
has a beautiful panel representing
are associated with the

to the
God
sitting
on or emerging from an enormous

vessel, of
Copo complex, one Late Early period. The species found
datable
are:
conch
shell.
This
Early period date,
well have been imported from the southern
may Maya
Cerithium eburneum (2)
Strombus costatus (1)

Fie us
lowlands.
communis
In the southern area, no

representations of the
are found
less
than
six different
Old God with the conch

vessels
shell
Area zebra ( 1 pair) Chione cancellata (4)
on four pottery
from Chama
in the
None
life.
of the seven contained other forms of marine

burials
Alta Verapaz (Dieseldorff, 1926-33, vol.

71, 136137, 237, 239).
1, figs.
70,
At Mayapan, where
were presumably
On
two
of these vessels, in
all
of the Decadent period, occasional lots of shell

as offerings,
paired panels, the god
is
emerging from the conch

it
and marine materials were included
in one, seated in front of

vessels
in the other.
These
but no identification of the tomb material, as such,
may
be assigned to the Late Classic of the
was published (A. L. Smith, 1962). At Copan three

tombs contained offerings; one held four unworked
Oliva porphyria; the second a Spondylus princeps
valve, containing pearl, jade,
"shell
south (Late Early period in Yucatan).

let
On
the Tab-
of the Foliated Cross at Palenque
(also Late
Classic), one of the principal figures stands on a
and cinnabar; the third
representation of
God K,
the god with the elongated,
fragments" (Longyear, 1952, pp. 3550). At

both the freshwater
fig.
decorated nose, emerging from a large conch, hold-
Barton Ramie only two burials, both Protoclassic,

contained offerings of
shell,
ing in his hand what
is
probably growing corn

81). This
is
(Maudslay, 1889-1902,
vol. 4, pis. 80,
clam Nephronaias ortmanni (W,
309, /-).
At
reminiscent of the gold disk from Chichen Itza men-
San Jose only two burials had such material, both

probably
S.J.
Moholy-Nagy (1963, p. 78) notes that at Tikal, "Four wizened, gnome-like creatures, probably Mams, are shown emerging from what seem to be conch shells along the sides of Altar 4, which
tioned above.
is
IV; one had a large ostreid cupped
over the face, the other contained a single Nephronaias (T, pp. 193220).
several of the
ings,
At Tikal
all
the tombs and
minor
burials contained shell offer-
Early Classic in style and type of stone."
prominently Spondylus.
Our working
is
defini-
From
the above
it
is clear that shells, or at least
tion of
tombs has been "stone-walled and stone-roofed

at vari-
conchs, were firmly entrenched

religious beliefs
in
ancient
the
Maya
same
or vaulted areas containing burials." This
and customs. But
for
ance with the Tikal Project's definition of tomb,
reason that
we
cannot believe that the Oliva tinklers
whereby
floor space
is
in excess of the needs of the

p.
so frequently used for belt
ornaments
in the Early
single interment
this is true at
(M,
74).
The
rare cases
where
period were
worn
to
remind the wearer of the under-
Dzibilchaltun are away from the major
world, death, or parturition

the
we cannot believe that

shell at
ceremonial structures, and are not relatively richly
Maya sites accumulated for the same reason. Rather, we believe they were also important to the Maya because
enormous quantity of unworked
they symbolized, or at least were reminiscent
of,
endowed with
chaltun.
offerings of
any
sort.
No
rich
tombs
of the type found at Tikal have appeared at Dzibil-
Those
in
ceremonial
structures
and
in
the
thatched dwellings, although numerous, shared the
MoLLUSCA
cists
IN
THE MaYA LOWLANDS
same simple stone

ings.
and the same shabby
offer-
Crassostrea virginica (3)
No
it
one believed, apparently, that you could
with you." In the most fashionable burial areas, the pottery offerings were often either broken
"take
or
Diplodonta semiaspera Phacoides radians ( 1 Chama congregata (3)
(1
worn out
before deposition.
With
these strictures,
the frequency of shell offerings at the
two
sites
does
sites
not seem too disparate, nor do those at other

in the
Maya
lowlands. In Uaxactun, five Early and
Trachycardium isocardia (fragments) Trachycardium muricatum (fragments) Dinocardium r. vanhyningi (16) Mercenaria campechiensis (fragments) Chione cancellata (3 + fragments) Anomalocardia cuneimeris (2)
Transennella cubamana (4)
Late Classic burials had offerings of raw shell (K,

p.
61). At Piedras Negras, one Late Classic tomb

Several caches contained only a single species of
shell,
(the most elaborately equipped at the site) contained

three Spondylus princeps valves
and one Psoronaias

as a whole, in
without container or other offerings.
Copo
Dino-
quadratus (C,
p. 55).
Over the area
Complex cache contained 16

cardium
r.
carefully nested
summary,
rarely,
burials occasionally, but at
some
sites
very
vanhyningi
obviously arranged
(fig. 4).
as single
contained offerings of unworked molluscs.
valves, therefore not pairs
which might have con-
considerably higher proportion contained pen-
tained animals as food offerings
single
dants of perforated but otherwise unaltered shells

or jewelry
Formative cache from
Str.
500 contained 22 perfect
made
of this material,
which might have
Melongenas, evenly divided between the species

corona and melongena. Distribution of species in
the caches followed even
variations discussed
served the same symbolic purpose.
Unworked
component
shell
played a prominent role as a
more
rigidly the temporal
of caches at Dzibilchaltun.
Ten
caches
contained unaltered specimens; 16 contained assort-
ample,
all
on pp. 4548, above. For exbut one of the 62 cached Melongenas

in
ments of fragments, some of which showed marks

of cutting or grinding, but most of
were found
Formative context;
all
of the
18
which were
to say
Dinocardiums were associated with the Copo Complex.
simply smashed.
We
we
shall
have
much
about
number
of
other
forms of marine
life
this material in the
volume on
artifacts,
but shall
appeared in the caches. Thirty barnacles were found

in
here note only that
are usually uncertain whether
one cache, possibly brought in on large conchs.
such fragments were considered as raw material

suitable for
Three caches contained colonies of bryozoans; one,

nine of such.
making
were
small jewelry such as mosaic,

rejects or
One contained
of
chunk
of
marine
coral.
or whether they
waste material from
Various
inclusions
fish
remains,
particularly
scales of the
such operations.
surprising
number
indicate
of species
spines of the stingray
and the spiny
occurred in caches
(numerals
unaltered
boxfish, will be discussed in detail elsewhere in our

reports.
specimens):
No
all
substela caches
were found
fall
at Dzibil-
chaltun;
Tectarius muricatus (4) Vermicularia spirata ( 1
that
were found
in
the class of
"structure caches" as used by other writers.
At Mayapan,
caches,
in his
summary
of 27 residential
Crepidula jornicata (3)
Strombus costatus (5
Ficus communis (3
+ fragments) + fragments)
Smith (1962, pp. 25663) lists only one unidentified shell and no marine material. Proskouriakoff notes, to the contrary, that "small conchlike
shells,
Melongena corona (50) Melongena melongena (12) Busy con contrarium (3)
Busycon spiratum
( 1
apparently unworked, have been found in

cists
many
and caches containing other

specifically only a
artifacts."
She mentions
Cymatium
jemorale.
Fasciolaria tulipa (fragments)
Six pieces of coral, of at least three species, were
Pleuroploca gigantea (fragments)
Prunum
virgineum (3) Bulla occidentalis (fragments)

a.
found "in tombs or
in association
p.
with objects of
ceremonial nature" (P,
387).
Area zebra
(1 pair)
At Copan,
marine
all
of the 14 caches found
had been
Brachidontes exustus (3) Isognomon alatus (fragments)
placed under stelae. Six were listed as containing

shells,
of
which only Spondylus princeps

identified,
Atrina seminuda (fragments)
Spondylus americanus (fragments) Anomia simplex (16)
and Anadara grandis are

species.
both Pacific
One Copan
cache contained coral fragments
))
Discussion
5i
Fig.
Dzibilchaltun,
tail;
Str.
38, Cache 1: 16 nested
unworked
valves of
Dinocardium robustum vanhyningi. Asso-
ciated with
Copo Complex
ceramics.
and
a stingray
another contained a pearl.
A
as
Of
the 64 caches recovered at Uaxactun (A. L.

p.
novel component was stalagmites, which appeared

in four caches.
Smith, 1950,
containing
92) only
identified
five
have been recorded

shells.
At Balankanche
in
Yucatan we find
unworked
Four
these connected with rain ritual
(Andrews, 1967). At Barton Ramie, only three caches were found,

shell of
caches of the Tzakol period contained the follow-
ing species (RR, p. 199):

Crepidula
sp. (1)
(
1
none containing
any kind. However
at
San
S'trombus pugilis
Jose, 7 structure caches of the
20 found contained
unworked
found
are:
shell
and/or other marine material. All

date, mostly S.J. IV.
Prunum
Ostrea
a.
were of Classic
The
virgineum (54)
species
sp. (1)
Trachycardium muricatum (2)
Neritina meleagris (24) Neritina virginea (1)
One Tepeu
cache contained 19 valves of Spondylus
princeps. A. L.
as containing
Smith
lists
number
cit.,
of other caches
Cerithium variabile
Columbella mercatoria (2) Terebra (?) cinerea (5)

(
1
unworked
shells,
but these are not

pp. 10305). Also
individually identified {op.
present in the caches were coral, pearls, marine
Spondylus princeps (17)
worm
pumice fragments,
sevr
casts,
and stingray
spines.
Again, there
is
a tendency to include other products
Specifics are not yet available
on the uniquely which
of the sea, including eight

eral
rich caches recovered in the Tikal excavations,
corals or bryozoans, a pearl,
numerous box-
are
still
in progress as this
is
written.
However,
fish spines, pp.

1
and even two manatee bones (T,

2
Moholy-Nagy's 1963 paper gives valuable prelimi-
84-92 ).
summary of the data through the 1962 season. Unworked shell and marine material is common in
nary
earlier caches, later
becoming unusual, and
finally
31) reports a fragment of branch coral from a structure cache at Hatzcap Ceel, B.H., along with unworked, unidentified shells.
p.
Thompson (1931,
273,
pi.
disappearing from the offerings.

pletely absent in the
They
are
com-
22
stela
caches dating after
) )
52
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
9.13.0.0.0.
Of 55
structure caches,
42 contained
that "the
the exception of valuable Spondylus, were not suitable for manufacture of jewelry.
marine
objects. In fact,
Moholy-Nagy notes
. .
.
contents of these caches
comprise most of the unTikal" (M, pp. 72-74).
Summarizing
briefly,
unworked molluscs and

were included
rarely to
modified shells
known from
other forms of marine frequently at different
life
This
is
in strong contrast with Dzibilchaltun,
where
sites
and
different times as
refer to as
shells in caches are
frequent but form only a tiny

site.
components of the votive offerings we

caches.
percentage of the total from the
Comparison
Although
They
are
more frequent
in caches than in
between the two

the great
sites,
however,
is difficult.
tombs, but never apparently an indispensible com-
mass of unworked
shell
is
from Tikal comes

a period of
little
ponent of the assemblages of offerings.
from
early Classic caches, this
Another but probably

votive cult
is
closely
related
form
of
construction at Dzibilchaltun; and correspondingly
found
in the cenotes or freshwater
few caches have been found. The very large number

of caches
wells of the northern peninsula.

is
The most famous

Chichen
Itza, first
from Dzibilchaltun are mostly of Late
that of the Sacred
Well
at
Early period and Pure Florescent date; and where

these overlap the occupation of Tikal, caches at the
latter site are characterized
explored by
Edward H. Thompson
in 1904,
most
recently by the Instituto Nacional de Antropologfa

e Historia of
by decreasing amounts
Mexico in cooperation with the Club
of raw-shell offerings.
shell
very large variety of nonat Tikal, rela-
marine material was obtained

apparently
de Exploraciones y Deportes Acuaticos de Mexico and the National Geographic Society of the United
States.
tively,
much more
is
than at Dzibilchaltun,
ten times as far
None
of the results have been completely

cf.
although the former
more than
published (but
Lothrop, 1952; Tozzer, 1957;

of pottery
from the
sea.
This includes pearls, several species

sea-urchin frag-
Davalos H., 1961; Littlehales, 1961). Although an
of corals, bryozoans, gorgonians,
immense quantity
sacrificial offerings
and
artifacts of gold,
ments, a sand dollar, sponge, chunks of coquina,

stingray spines,
copper, jade, and other materials was introduced as
and
fish vertebrae, spines
and scutes
with
human
beings, few marine

J.
(M, pp. 69-70, M-MS).

specimens
is
Specific association of these
animals or materials have been reported. Dr.
Ladd,
the
not yet available, although Moholy-
who
is
studying Harvard's collections from

six
Nagy
Classic
notes that they are

caches,
shell
more common
of
in Late
Sacred Cenote, reports

(
molluscs of four species:
when
introduction
less
actual
un-
worked
become
frequent.
shells
Strom bus pugilis (1)

played a
role
in
less
At Piedras Negras, unworked

composition of caches.
prominent but nonetheless important
the
Pleuroploca gigantea (2) Oliva reticularis (2)

as well as several
Of 94 such
offerings, 15
fragments of gorgonians obviously

sea.
3
contained shells of 8 marine, 2 freshwater and 2

land species:
Cittarium pica
(1
brought from the
smaller but
much
deeper cenote within the
ceremonial group at Dzibilchaltun, Cenote Xlacah,

has yielded, after several seasons of diving, a very
large collection of artifacts dating
(1
Vermicularia spirata (2)
Cruabulum spinosum
Area imbricata (2) Area zebra (5) Spondylus princeps (11) Ostrea sp. (1) Trachy car dium muricatum (1)
from Formative
times until virtually the present (Andrews, 1959,
1962; Marden, 1959). Most of this long

offerings date to the Late Early period
series of
and Pure
Florescent,
built.
when most
it
of the ceremonial center
was
Pomacea flagellata arata ( 1 Pomacea flagellata ghiesbrechti (4)

Euglandina decussata Choanopoma radiosum
)
)
Mixed with
this large
and
rich assortment of
artifacts,
forming, as
were, one continuous cache,

species:
,,*
were 48 unworked marine molluscs of 20

3
One
cache contained a single piece of coral. Again
in strong contrast to Dzibilchaltun,
Coe notes
that
the floor of
Large intentional offerings of pottery have been found on Lake Amatitlan in Guatemala (Borhegyi, 1959),
shell and marine material have not been found outside of offerings (C, pp. 55, 77-119). The species that were brought in for this purpose, with
unworked
and Luis Marden informs
numbers of offertory were encountered in a brief hour of diving below the waters of Lake Flores (Peten-Itza) in Guatemala. No material of marine origin was forthcoming.
that large
vessels in a very distinct tradition
me
) ) ) )) ) ) )
Discussion
Diodora cayenensis ( i Strombus costatus (3) Cymatium parthenopeum (1)
Ficus communis
(
1
53
tive species,
nor were they usually perfect specimens
(both of which would have been so easily available
on the beaches near Dzibilchaltun). The

were apparently favored
if
larger shells
Murex pomum
(1)
covered with barnacles
Melongena corona ( 1 Busy con contrarium (3)

Turbinella angulata
Oliva reticularis
(
1
or other marine parasites (which often could easily
have been removed but were not). These

so frequently partly filled
shells
were
drift
( 1
with sand and beach
that they
were obviously collected
after death, not
5//fl occidentalis
( 1
Pinctada radiata
placed in the offerings as food.

(
1
Many
of the
marine
intro-
Atrina seminuda (3) Plicatula gibbosa ( 1
forms were broken or fragmentary when

duced.
4
At Dzibilchaltun,
to
at least, there is
no
evi-
Anomia simplex
dence of any attempt
clean or
prepare these
Carditamera floridana ( 1 Trachycardium isocardia (3) Trachycardium muricatum (1)
offerings as items of beauty or value.

trary, every effort
To
the con-
was made
to
conserve the original
Dinocardium r. vanhyningi (18) Chione cancellata (3)

Dosinia elegans (2)
identity with the sea.
We
have
much
other evidence in Yucatan of presea.
occupation with the north fagade of
The medial molding

(Temple
of the
Also introduced were 14 gorgonians (sea fans) and

a
Str.
i-sub
of the Seven
is
lump
of coral (note that gorgonians have also been

at
Dolls) at Dzibilchaltun, the side facing the sea,
found
Tikal).
It is
impossible to
of
tell
whether or
adorned with a parade of maritime creatures,

rays, unidentified fish, aquatic birds (fig. 5).
later,
sting-
not the large
number
not found
Pomacea
flagellata arata
Much
found in the cenote were introduced by humans;

the species
is
the
Chac Mool Temple (buried beneath the

naturalistically painted
alive there today.
Temple
amazing
at least
of the Warriors) at Chichen Itza, featured
It is clear
from the above data
that the
two very
life
murals of
ren-
quantity of
even far
unworked shells found at Maya sites, from the sea, must be accounted for, at least
seashore
(frontispiece), including
charming
ditions of various molluscs, horseshoe crabs, aquatic

birds,
in part, by religious or superstitious belief or ritual.
and
fish
(emphasizing the obviously
still
Unfortunately no trace of such belief or practice has

survived into
important stingray).
modern times
to give us a
springboard
On
sis
the basis of our Dzibilchaltun evidence,

inclined to surmise that this strong
sea
we
for speculation
as
Landa's scattered information

for epigraphers. Quite
would be
on the
empha-
on the calendar did

distinct patterns
in particular)
beyond
and marine
real
life reflected
what must
in ancient
aesthetic or utilitarian usages
(which did
exist),
two
have been a
times.
economic dependence
seem
to
emerge: (1) Shells (conchs

with death,
are de-
We
have suggested elsewhere that control of
were
closely associated
the coastal salt marshes
might have been an impor-
the underworld, water
and childbirth
and
beliefs
tant factor in the support of a population at Dzibil-
picted in the codices, architectural

sculpture,
and monumental
might
chaltun which was at times vastly beyond what
and pottery
in
at least as far back as the
could
have been supported by

this
local
is
agriculture.
Early Classic
the south. These
However,
distance
"cult of the
sea"
is
as
strong or
greater
account for the occasional occurrence of shells in
stronger at Tikal, where the sea
at a
much
tombs
is
at a
number
of
sites.
The
association, at best,
and could have had much

life.
less direct influ-
a doubtful one. (2)
large part of the
unworked
ence on economic
shell
from the area seems part of a larger configuramarine

life
tion of
forms and representations, rang-
Use of Shells
as
Ornaments
is
ing from shells to gorgonians, corals, sand dollars,
Worked
it
shell
usually divided into
two
cate-
and even
clusters of byrozoans, in
.all
an obviously
gories by the archaeologist,
on the
its
basis of
whether
intense preoccupation with the sea. Shells, although
has or has not retained
original form. In the

it is
the most frequent items,
would seem
to lose their
former, for aesthetic or religious purposes,
still
immediate identity in
this
broader configuration.
The
one.
intent
was
clearly not primarily
an aesthetic
attrac-
Moholy-Nagy (1963,
p.
73) notes that
this
was the
case
The
shells
chosen for offerings were not
at Tikal.
~Tf^
bo
SJS
i
-C
3
u
o
.
to
~-<
c o u
1 N Q
J5
E
Cs fA
v>
.
^
Q
O
U C bo <u c -3 > u
J=!
<J*>
ii
S
M-l
H
U)
o -o
JH IS
o.
B-S
,->
"~"
H
3
i
rt
3
C7
rt
_Q
-rt
H H bO
i-l
.5 4_i
i/>
v
C/3
D _c -a /> n U3 <j-
^"3
j=^S
c -a
bO
"o
a
o
13 o fc
_ a -o
Ji
E^
a.
>,
rt
.
c
J
_e
w
v>
rt
"
CO
~
Q
1
*-J
u o
rt
rt
,_]
E X
o
lH
J3
*-W
Dh
a
rt aj
in
) .
ft
c c c
bo
) )
) )
Discussion
a shell; in the latter
it
55
is
simply a material used to

listed
stringing.
The
species used at Dzibilchaltun were:
make something
else.
Occurrences of both are
Olivella dealbata (14)
in detail in the checklist above. Detailed discussion
Prunum apicinum virgineum
(77)
and comparative study of both
will be reserved for

artifacts.
our separate study of Dzibilchaltun
Two
logical
further uses of almost unaltered shells are
Twelve
chaltun to
species of pelecypods
were used
difficult to place
at Dzibil-
within our highly
artificial
archaeo-
make
pendants, usually with two drilled
taxonomy. Pairs of Spondylus

at
shells
were
perforations at or near the hinge for suspension:
found
Copan, Pusilha, and Tikal used
as "jewel
boxes," to contain offerings of pearl, tiny jade beads,
Anadara notabilis (3) Anadara transversa (3)

Aequipecten muscosus (2)
Lyropecten nodosus (3) Spondylus americanus (10) Carditamera fioridana (2)
Phacoides pectinatus (1) Dinocardium r. vanhyningi (1) Mercenaria campechiensis ( 1
and other small
offerings.
At Piedras Negras,
a pair
Chione cancellata (2)

Dosinia elegans
(
.
Nephronaias
aff
calamitarum (4)
Pendants were
also
made
of three species of smaller
gastropods, usually perforated near the shoulder for

vertical suspension:
Fasciolaria tulipa
(1
Conus floridanus ( 1 Conus spurius atlanticus
A
area
remarkably long-lived ornament of
shell,
usu-
ally called a tinkler, is
found throughout the Maya
from Early
Classic times in the south to the
Decadent period in the north

an Atlantic or
always apparently a
made
of
popular item of jewelry. They are usually
a Pacific species of Oliva, but, as
we
have seen above, are sometimes of quite different

shells.
Usually, the spire
is
cut
it
off,
approximately
at the
shoulder (sometimes
is
merely perforated
twice),
and a sawn hole

is
is
cut near the base.
The
fig.
pattern of alteration
clearly not for suspension,
but to enable firm stitching to a fabric (see K,

85,^,4). Usually the
shell,
with
its
attractive design,
(fig.
was
left
intact,
but some specimens
85,^,6)
were elaborately reworked. The

Dzibilchaltun are:
Oliva reticularis (7) Oliva say ana (11) Prunum labiatum (2)
species
used at
Where
were used
shells largely retaining their original
form
have
Fig.
as beads, drilled perforation
seems
to
been considered more labor than the product warranted.
Two
much
tinklers
from the
collection of Richard E.
Sometimes the apex was ground
off;
more
Hedlund
lar,
in Merida, exact
provenience unknown.
is
simi-
but
cruder, specimen
Scale 3/4.
illustrated
from Maya-
often a single hole
was broken
in the side to
permit
pan
(P, fig. 45,a).
56
of
Mollusca
Area zebra was used
for this purpose.
in the
Maya Lowlands
The
valves
unknown
lus:
use.
The
great bulk of shell for jewelry
were sometimes painted with cinnabar. Effective trumpets could be made by cutting
the apical whorls
making was from

off
the larger conchs
and the Spondy-
Strombus costatus (74), Busycon contrarium
from the larger conchs {Strombus,
(1), Pleuroploca gigantea (4), Turbinella angulata

(3),
Pleuroploca, Turbinella, Busy con),

this to
and we know
Vasum muricatum
It
(1),
and Spondylus ameriand most of the
have been done
at various sites.
A
at
trumpet
canus (39).
should be noted that a considerable
made from
chaltun.
blast
a large Turbinella angulata
was cached
Dzibil-
number
of smaller conch fragments
under a Middle Formative structure
finished jewelry of white shell could not be identified

surely even to genus,
When
this
finally
succeeded in producing a
it
and are therefore not included
on
instrument (and
was
a blast),
was
in the present tabulations.
Most of
this material
was
convinced that
much
manently destroyed
my lip membrane was perand my front teeth perilously

of
is
probably S. costatus. Spondylus, on the other hand,

is
more completely
listed, as
even small fragments

its
shaken. Another, perhaps unique, use of shells
to
of the shell can be recognized from

qualities. Finally,
cameo-like
all
be found at a small ruined temple some 1500 m. up

the Caribbean shore
we
should re-emphasize that
from the lighthouse
at
Punta
of the
a
worked
shell
from Dzibilchaltun forms but

(14 per cent) of the
total
Celarain, the southern tip of
Cozumel
Island.
The
very small fraction

site.
small temple
itself has, as a
roof ornament, a perfect
recovered at the
diminutive temple some 50 cm. high with a rounded

spire atop. Set into the spire,
and facing the four
directions, are four vertical series of

pets of varying sizes
Strombus trumearliest
Use of Molluscs
Molluscs,
collected
as
Food
for food,
will
perhaps the
recorded
when used
usually be
will
wind-vane with
built-in sound.
from the nearest available shore. They
not normally be transported over any considerable
Use of Shell
as
Raw Material
several species of molluscs
area from their point of collection, and the shells
At Dzibilchaltun,
used for
were
would normally be
familiar coastal
left
on the beach
to
form the
making
jewelry and a very few utilitarian
middens (a 5-pound conch would

its
artifacts, in all of
which the
lost.
shell
form had been
not be carried far inland for
half-pound of edible
almost or entirely
Again, detailed discussion
meat). But inlanders under dietary need will go to

unbelievable lengths to enjoy products of the sea.
and comparative study are considered more appropriate to
our separate report on
artifacts of the site,
When
was surveying the upper Candelaria drainhe had a gun
and
will be presented there. 5
age along the Guatemala frontier in 193839, one

altered
shell
The 169 fragments
of identified
ate well in the area
if
and most people

a
represented 8 species of pelecypods, 7 of gastropods.
had, and used
it.
When
only wild turkey, venison,
Fine flakes of Atrina (1), Isognomon (31), and

Pinctada (1) were mostly found in caches containing other materials such as jade and pyrites, and
and peccary were

had only come
a
available as
meat (which was

that
if
delight for us), the natives
would lament
it
we
week
earlier or later,
would have
were probably used, or intended
for use, in mosaics.
been flavored with cazon (the baby hammerhead

shark so traditionally dear to Campechanos).
suffered
local
little,
Five smaller pelecypods were used in altered form
We
Chione (1), Dinocardium (1), Dosinia (1), and Mercenaria (2). Two small gastropods were given special uses: Conus spurius atlanticus
as pendants:
but did have a rough time adjusting to

tastes
would
fied
(6) was used to cut out small triangular pendants,
when the occasional muladas down with 5 10-day-old, liquishark (which we could smell many hours before
gourmets'
arrive loaded
arrived,
if
probably
retaining
the
shell's
original
attractive
the
mulada
the
wind were
in the right
coloration. Horizontal sections of Oliva reticularis
direction). This
would
then, with gusto, be
merged
(3) were cut to
make
corkscrew-like artifacts of
with
all
tortillas,
soups, or the
meat dishes which

cannot believe
otherwise would have been so
tasty. I
that the choice, by a people otherwise discriminating, Techniques of manufacture are well described in Fewkes, 1883. An excellent survey of Mesoamerican shell artifacts may be found in Kidder, Jennings, and Shook, 1946, pp. 145-52.
5
could have been other than purely gustatory.
When
one considers trade from the

factors
sea,
such irrational
must be considered.
Discussion
57
The
tive
Isla
Cancun Midden
is
a sealed Late
Forma-
but
"AbulonT In
taste
they resemble the Pacific
(Chicanel) deposit of
human
debris dated by
gastropod from which they are misnamed.
radiocarbon at 250 B.C.

shell, turtle,
It consists
of a mixture of
animal and
fish bones, pottery
and
ash.
Only
few
shell artifacts occurred,
and the remains
are clearly kitchen refuse of a small population.
Such
but
ISLA
It,
middens are an invaluable

this
is
asset of archaeology,
Table
MARINE
the
first to
be excavated in the
Maya
CANCUN MIDDEN, QUINT ANA

Entire
MOLLUSCS FROM ROO, MEXICO

Fragments
Total
area.
therefore, gives us a hitherto unavailable insight into
Species
Maya utilization of local fauna for subsistence. And, as we have quite thoroughly collected the modern
beaches,
it
GASTROPODA
Calliostoma jujubinum
1 1
acts as a
gauge of possible faunal change

This can then be extended
sites,
Cittarium pica
Astraea caelata Astraea phoebia Astraea
t.
145
1
219
364
1
over the
to
last
2000
years.
our appraisal of the inland
where the
shells
4
1
4
1 5
americana
and not the animals must

basis of value.
largely have
formed the
Nerita peloronta Nerita tessellata Nerita versicolor

Littorina ziczac
15
2
20
2
Whatever
were
clearly
shells
occurred in the Cancun Midden

for
66
1
30
96
1 1
collected
gastronomic purposes,
either for the local settlement or for possible trade
Echininus nodulosus
Tectarius muricatus
2
1
of the
meat
to the interior.
We,
of course, have
no
10
4
1
II
Petaloconchus irregularis
Planaxis nucleus
4
1
evidence of the latter possibility.
Our
First,
tabulations are very surprising, at least to me.
Cerithium eburneum Cerithium literattum Crucibulum auriculum Crepidula fornicata
3 2
1 1
3 2
1
comparison between the midden collections

fauna over the 22 centuries which have
it is
and those taken on the present-day shore show no

change
in
elapsed. Second,
for seafood
clear that the ancients' appetite
must have been voracious: 99 species are found in the midden, comprising not only the
tasty larger conchs,
Strombus Strombus Strombus Strombus
costatus
81
gigas
pugilis
353
1
412 1518
6
1
493 1871
1
raninus
5i
57
1
but a variety of other minor
Cypraea cervus Cypraea cinerea Cypraea zebra
6
25
1
4 14
10
39
1 1
molluscs, often scavengers
which we,
after reading
Cyphoma gibbosum
Polinices hepaticus Polinices lacteus
modern works on
the subject,
would have
consid-
6
1
ered totally inedible. Apparently, the ancients took
3
5
whatever molluscan fauna was available

it
for food
and presumably knew what they were

able to find molluscs
and used
on the
in the
Phalium granulatum
Cassis tuberosa
9 6
17
7
5
1 1
19 4
2
1
36
11
Cypraecassis testiculus
Charonia variegata
about.
Where we were
7
2
1
1
present beaches which were not on the
menu
midden, each appeared
to be a rarity
which had not
occurred in our archaeological sample. Table 3 sum-
marizes what was eaten at
Isla
Cancun.
In present times, most of the larger conchs, Strombus, Pleuroploca,

Cassis,
Cymatium femorale Cymatium parthenopeum Cymatium pileare Tonna galea Tonna maculosa Ficus communis Murex pomum
Purpura patula Thais deltoidea
Thais rustica Columbella mercatoria Cantharus auritulus
1 2
4
2
1 1
4
2
1
2
1
and Turbinella,
are not
1
1
1
1 1
only eaten by coast-dwellers, but shipped inland
(without shell) where transportation

larger inland
cities,
is
available, to
in
where they are prepared
escabeche as cocktails or soups which" are considered

as choice "regional" dishes. tinas of
One
cannot
visit
the can-
Chetumal without sampling
this specialty.
Melongena corona Melongena melongena Busycon coarctatum Busycon contrarium Busycon spiratum
Fasciolaria hunteria
Fasciolaria tulipa
258
1
297
1
555
1
219
8
1
362
11
4 581
*9
1
Pleuroploca and Turbinella, by the way, because of

the darker color of the meat are called not
"Concha"
89 14
389 70
478 84
58
Table
Species
Turbinella angulata
3
MoLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Continued
Entire
57
2
Fragments
39
Total
96
2
and much of the west coast abound in mussels. Probably many species are used. Most popular are the
"Ribbed Mussels," here Modiolus demissus granosissimus,
which are harvested
in great quantities in
Vasum muricatum
Oliva caribaeensis Oliva reticularis Oliva sayana
Olivella dealbata
Olivella nivea
14 IOI
3
i
14 106
3
1
the manglares
(mangrove swamps) near Progreso
and Dzilam Bravo, and probably elsewhere.

Several varieties of oyster are available year-round
in the peninsular restaurants, in the smaller pueblos.
3 2
3
3 2
3
and are ever-present

is
Mitra florida
Most popular
the oyster
Prunum a. virgineum Prunum guttatum Conus mus

Conus regius Conus sozoni Conus spurius atlanticus Melampus cofTeus
Unidentified fragments,
4
2 5 2 3 2
4
2 5 2
we
eat in the north, Crassostrea virginica, here a
diminutive but very tasty race
now
supplied mostly
from beds
in the
Laguna de Terminos, but found on

Campeche,
is
the entire periphery of the peninsula. In

3
2
the specialty
in
restaurant or
street-stand
the
"Campechanito,"
1022 l628
1022
a 14-oz. glass half-filled
with baby
mostly Strombus
sp.
shrimp (immaculately cleaned) capped with dimesized but tasty baby oysters (Ostrea frons ?). Both these delicacies
Subtotals:
4445
6073
now come from Champoton.

is
PELECYPODA
a
Cittarium pica
7 6
5
a beautiful, nacreous shell, with

snail in residence.
is
most unattractive
But
this ani-
Area imbricata
Area zebra
6
5
1
mal,
when
boiled,
much
tastier
than the larger
Anadara
notabilis
conchs, and
makes
a delightful
broth, frequently
Glycymeris decussata Glycymeris undata
18
38
1
1
19 40
4
2 1
consumed by
peninsula.
I
natives of the Caribbean coast of the

told that the
am
same
is
true of
many
latter
Isogomon alatus Isogomon radiatus

Pinctada radiata Pecten laurenti
3
1
other intertidal species, notably the Nerites.
1 1
1
Both ancients and moderns (among the

particularly in
Lyropecten nodosus Spondylus americanus
6
I
I
Campeche) have been devoted

fat,
eaters
75
36
1
T
1
of the species of Pomacea, choice,

snails,
freshwater
Lima lima Lima scabra

Ostraea equestris Ostraea frons
1
common
in
archaeological
deposits
from
Dzibilchaltun and
Mayapan
in the north to Bar-
2 2 5
2
2 5
ton Ramie, Uaxactun, and Piedras Negras in the

south.
At Tikal, 195 were found
in excavations (to
Lucina pensylvanica
Phacoides pectinatus
8 7 8 9
9
7
1964), their archaeological context not yet evaluated.
Codakia orbicularis
Thompson (1939,
p.
181) notes that these
Chama florida Chama macerophylla Chama sarda Chama sinuosa

Pseudochama radians Trachycardium magnum Trachycardium muricatum
Antigona listeri Antigona rigida
Dosinia elegans
Tellina
listeri
snails, called
hute [jute] in Spanish, hooties in creole,

in British
4
1
13
were eaten in large quantities

at the
37
38
Honduras
47
1
1
50
1 2
time he wrote
and they probably are today.

Vasquez (verbal informaa
at
Prof. Alfredo Barrera

tion) has noted
what may be
unique practice in Kaua, 18 km.

east
2
1
1
3
1 1
4
2
1
the
of
New
World. In the cenote
Chichen Itza on the modern highway

a large freshwater gastropod
to Vallado-
lid,
Tellina radiata
4 52
1
14 48
2
18
(which we have
100
3
not seen, but from description

identified
specialty
as
may
probably be
regional
Arcopagia fausta
Pomacea)
is
eaten as a
by
visitors,
who come equipped

snails.
with
salt
Subtotals:
99
species
Totals:
340 1968
134
4579
474 6547
and lime
picnic
year,
juice as well as natatory intentions,
and
on the raw
At
certain times of the
when
the molluscs are loaded with brilliant
Many other molluscs are eaten as delicacies today. The mangrove swamps of the north-coast cienaga
red eggs, these are carefully separated, spread at the

water's edge in zones
where they are assiduously
Discussion
protected to assure the permanence of this culinary
attraction.
6
59 vanhyningi (419),
littered the site.
Only one
frag-
ment (a fragment of ventral margin with a drilled

in
Excavations
the
Belize
River
Valley
have
hole for suspension)
showed any sign of working.

might have been used
a sorry
furnished evidence that other freshwater molluscs
Some
of the larger specimens
were an important source of food
in ancient times:
as cups or dippers, but
would have made
765 specimens of the clam Nephronaias ortmanni,
substitute for the gourds used today

in ancient times. It has also
and probably
and
805
univalves
of
the
species
Pachychilus
been suggested that they

unslipped
utility
glaphyrus and
largillierti
were found
in the trenches.
were used
to striate the surface of
Although a few examples of each of these were

scattered
jars (or the preslip incised jars of the
Formative).
throughout the stratigraphy, the heavy
But
if
used for such a purpose, they would not

evi-
preponderance was in the Formative phases, after
appear in such great quantities (we have no
which
either the supply diminished or the culinary
dence that any pottery was actually

chaltun).
made
at Dzibil-
interest
dwindled. At Barton Ramie, over 100 land
Food seems
the only logical use,
and these
snails of the
genus Bulimulus were found. Examina-
animals are large and eminently edible.
tion of the archaeological context of each specimen
showed
that, again,
most of them were deposited
The genera Melongena (361) and Ficus (96) seem another case in point. Not a single worked fregment has been found, nor can
It
I
during the Formative phases, which would indicate

that they
suggest any use other
were intentionally
collected
and probably
than food for these small, thin-walled gastropods.
used as food. However, with the exception of the

large Pomaceas,
may
be significant that the mass of species men-
no freshwater molluscs, univalve

to be used for food in the
tioned thus far are found in Formative deposits.
or bivalve, are
area today.
7
known
On
the other hand,
if
these
were
brought from
the sea in the shell for eating,
we
face the
problem
Whereas we
do today, we
probably
left
can be sure that the ancients
drew
of the striking absence of shells of other species
heavily on the sea for
food and
delicacies, as they
which we can be almost
certain were used for food.
pointed out above that the shells were
No
five
adult oyster shell appeared, but Ostrea frons and
on
the shore in most cases
when
the
Crassostrea virginica are
common on
the shore.
Only
animals were, shipped any distance inland. So that
mussel valves appeared (two Formative, three
even
at a site as
near to the sea as Dzibilchaltun,

little
if
in
an Early period cache). The very numerous larger

(Strombus, Busycon, Pleuroploca,
Turbi-
catalogues of archaeological shell offer
any
conchs
gauge of the extent or variety of use of marine

molluscs as food.
find in the ruins
nella) can be well accounted for ty the variety of
The
great quantity of shell
we
commercial uses
again
larger
it
to
which the
shell
was
put.
But here
was probably brought
in for other
should be noted that the great bulk of these

shells
purposes. However,
are exceedingly
to
when certain categories of shell common, and where other uses seem
it
were found
in
Formative deposits,
where manufactured
relatively scarce.
shell artifacts
and jewelry are
be completely ruled out,
is
hard
to escape the
conclusion that molluscs were brought from the sea

in their shells to be eaten.
At Dzibilchaltun, we
rash guess that a
shall risk
what may be
and
snails
number
of clams
were
As many
shells,
493 valves or fragments of cocklemostly the largest species, Dinocardium r.

as
brought from the sea in their
shells in the
Formative
period. Later, efficiency experts

that shells should be left
seem
to
have decreed
on the beach unless they

in the ceremonial or
were
to serve
some purpose
commercial
6
life
of the inland city.
Teobert Maler (190103,
p. 17),
during his explorations
of the Chancala River in the Peten, noted that "all the streams
are filled with edible snails (Melania levissima
Xot ... of Vasquez has suggested (verbally) that this word is probably X-hot in Maya {hot in various dictionaries means an object with face or head down and rear parts elevated, which would fit well with these animals) and that this may be the Maya derivation of the words jute and
the Mayas)." Prof. Barrera
7 Euell
Gibbons (1964) has published an
interesting,
if
necessarily very incomplete, account of the edible molluscs,
hootie above. This
may have been
a generic
name
for fresh-
including, for the gourmet, suggestions on
how many
of
them
water univalves (see notes by Moholy-Nagy on p. 32).
may
be
tastily
prepared.

Molluscs, particularly marine molluscs, as well as other forms of marine
life,
from the East Coast; and there was no hint of trade

in shells with the south.
are surprisingly frequent
The
Belize Valley
sites,
in archaeological excavations in the
Maya
lowlands.
re-
near the coast, followed the same pattern of local

trade.
at
What began
the
also
as a brief listing of the
specimens
However, the
central Peten
sites,
which were
were deeply
covered at Dzibilchaltun, was expanded to include
some distance from any

to
sea coast,
unpublished material from our excava-
committed
terms of
trade routes
which probably made

including the
tions at the Late
Formative midden
finally to
at Isla
Cancun,
excellent sense in general merchandise but not in

shell.
Quintana Roo, and

published
material
add other previously

area.
Much
of the
shell,
from the lowland
The
treasured Spondylus princeps,
was imported from
resulting checklist of
some 15,000 specimens
of 192
the distant Pacific. But imports included a

of
less
number
nearer,
species from 19 sites includes modern distributions for most. These have been drawn from a larger study
impressive Pacific species whose very simi-
lar Atlantic cousins
could be obtained
all
much
of the
still
modern fauna now in preparation, which, if incomplete, offers more precise grounds for spethan existed before. Photographs
species,
At Copan,
logical shell
farther south, nearly
the archaeo-
was of
Pacific origin, despite the prox-
cific identifications
imity of the Gulf of Honduras.
Even
at Piedras
are included of
most of the archaeological
Negras
at the
is
north corner of the Peten, Pacific

is
with better-preserved modern counterparts where

considered useful.
the present
influence
prominent. More interesting
the fact
The
checklist forms the bulk of
that the central Peten sites appear to have imported
monograph.
most of
their Atlantic shell not
from the nearby
In brief sections following the checklist,
we have
Caribbean but from the considerably more distant
considered the marine ecology of the area, possible

aspects of ancient trade
Gulf of Mexico. This might imply ethnic barriers

trade of
the northward flow of Peten trade pottery,
is
to
which might be inferred

species,
which we are not otherwise aware. Despite
from the geographic distribution of ancient

and possibly
archaeological usage. Finally
the ceremonial, aesthetic,
which
significant chronological variations in
so heavily
evidenced
at
Dzibilchaltun,
we have no
we have
life to
considered
hint of marine molluscs being traded in the reverse

direction, even
and commercial importhe early
though we have
Table
inferential evidence a significant
tance of mollusca and marine
Maya.
that salt
from the north may have been

balance.
1
Some
results of these considerations
have been of
factor of
summarizes the geo-
interest.
graphical distribution of archaeological and

species,
modern
Ecologically, the peninsular littoral falls into four

distinct zones,
and merges
into
what would seem
Table 2 summarizes the occurrence of 73 molluscan species in the various periods of history at
Dzibilchaltun. Molluscan remains in Formative context are strikingly different
to be a fifth (fig. 2).
Much
of the molluscan fauna
extends through
all
of these zones, but
species are quite restricted in their
many of the habitat. Making

the last
from those of the Early
the generally accepted assumption that no significant
period and the Florescent. Although there was surely
faunal change has
come about during

collections
at
Isla
2000
no change monest
in the fauna available for use, the corn-
years (confirmed by the identity of our pre-Christian
species in
Formative deposits are virtually
and present-day
Cancun), we
absent in later times, probably because of a change

in dietary habits. Increasing frequencies of certain
should then be in a position to predict roughly
where archaeological specimens of the

species
restricted
species in the later periods
may
reflect
an increase in
were collected on the

these to give at least
coast.
There were
hints
the manufacture of jewelry and ornaments,
enough of
some strong
brief
examination was
made
of the evidence
regarding pre-Columbian trade.
for ritual or votive significance of shells
and other
had
a
The northern Yucatan

tirely
sites
utilized almost en-
forms of marine
life.
We
found that
shells
the malacofauna of the neighboring north
definite religious connotation

tures, ceramics,
documented
as far
in sculpat least
coast.
handful of
shells
were probably brought
and the codices
back
60

as
61
Phase
of the Early period. Shells occur fre-
our separate publication on Dzibilchaltun

Excavation of the
tive kitchen
briefly inhabited
Isla
artifacts.
quently (but by no means always) in tombs, caches,
Late Forma-
and other
offerings.
Here they
are often (but again

life
midden on
Cancun, Q.R., has given
not always) associated with other forms of

the sea, to the extent that
specific
from
lost
the
first
clear
picture of
Maya
ash,
utilization of
the
we
feel the shells
have
faunal environment.
shell
The midden
consists mostly of
symbolic identity as such and have become
and pottery mixed with and animals.

were
3
and the bones of

be quite sure
part of a larger configuration of association with the

sea
turtle, fish, birds,
We can
which was remarkably deep seated

ritual practice.
in
Maya
art
that these remains
of animals actually eaten
and
at
This would be simple
to explain
by the ancients. Table
summarizes the molluscan

all
sites
as close to
and possibly economically

is
dediffi-
remains, with surprising implications. Virtually

collectible
shellfish
pendent on the sea
as Dzibilchaltun. It
more
were eaten
very
prominently
cult at sites far inland such as Tikal
and Uaxactun,
little
among them
such carrion-eaters as the Melongenas,

to
where the
importance.
sea could
It
have been of
that the
practical
was noted
life
many
votive offerfor
ings of marine
either
aesthetic
life
were probably not chosen
modern texts are quite inedible. This probably clears up the mystery of large masses of raw shell at Dzibilchaltun, which we were otherwhich according
wise unable to explain. After the Formative period
at the latter site,
or
monetary considerations. The
commonest
effort to
forms were used, without apparent
many
of
molluscs such as Melongena

diet.
choose tasteful specimens.
seem
manufacture of
to
have been eliminated from the
de-
short examination of the use of shells as ornaas
creasing
number
Dinocardium valves and
shells
ments and
raw material
in the
of the larger conchs in Early period and Florescent

deposits
jewelry and artifacts reveals the use of a large assort-
may
well indicate an increasing economic
ment of species for these purposes. But the amount

of
practice of leaving the heavy shells
on the beaches
worked material recovered
at
Dzibilchaltun
is
so
where the animals were taken. Freshwater molluscs

of several species
small that such industry cannot be considered a significant factor in the
seem
to
have replaced marine mol-
enormous
total
accumulations
luscs as food at the sites farther inland, as they
do
of shell at the
site.
Detailed analysis and comparative
today.
study of the worked material have been reserved for
Plates i 21
Specimen numbers preceded by

preceded by
are Dzibilchaltun archaeological lot
numbers; those
Cancun archaeological lot numbers; simple numerals are Tulane University catalogue numbers of modern specimens. Precise data on stratigraphical associaare Isla
tion of archaeological shells
and provenience
of
modern specimens
letters;
are available at the
Middle American Research
Institute,
Tulane University.
Archaeological shells are designated by single lowercase
modern specimens, by
double lowercase
letters.
64
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
a.
FISSURELLIDAE,
b.
c.
TROCHIDAE, TURBINIDAE Fissurella barbadensis Gmelin (M 200). Diodora cayenensis Lamarck (M 101).
Calliostoma jujubintim Gmelin
Cittarium pica Linne
(Q 500),
d.
e.
f.
(M 567), dd
cc (2726). (7286). Both juveniles.
Astraea caelata Gmelin Astraea tecta
Astraea phoebia Roding
g.
(Q 502), ee (5044). (Q 500), ff (2710). americana Gmelin (Q 500).
(Actual size)
66
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
2 NERITIDAE,
LITTORINIDAE
(M 720, Q 500).
aa,aa'.
b,b'.
c.
Nerita fulgurans Gmelin (5244, 5277).
Nerita tessellata Gmelin

Nerita peloronta Linne Nerita versicolor
d.
e.
f.
(Q 500), cc (4815). Gmelin (Q 501), dd (7287).
Neritina virginea Linne

Nodilittorina tubercidata
(M 825),
ee
(4498).
ff
Gmelin (Q 500),
(1293).
g,g'.
Echinimis tiodtdosus
Littorina ziczac
Pie'iffer
(Q 501).
h.
i,i'.
Gmelin (Q 502), hh (4505).
Tectarins muricatus Linne
(Q 502).
(Actual size)
68
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl. 3
VERMETIDAE,
TURRITELLIDAE, PLANAXIDAE, CERITHIIDAE, CALYPTRAEIDAE, NATICIDAE

(Q 500). (Q 500), bb (4759).
a.
Petaloconclms irregularis d'Orbigny

Planaxis nucleus Bruguiere
b.
c.
d.
ee.
f.
Vermicularia spirata Philippi (M 239 B), cc (2142). Cerithium eburneum Bruguiere (M 936), dd (2981). Cerithium floridanum Morch (201).
Cerithium literattum Born

Crepidula fornicata Linne
(Q 500).
g.
(M 239 B), gg
(4068).
hh.
i.
Crepidula aculeata Gmelin (7288).
j,j'.
k.
1,1'.
Crucibidum auriculum Gmelin (Q 503), ii (929). Polinices duplicatus Say (5812, 5817). Polinices lacteus Guilding (Q 500), kk (6650). Polinices hepaticus Roding (Q 504, Q 500).
(Actual size)
70
MoLLUSCA
IN
THE MaYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
a.
STROMBIDAE
Strombus gigas Linne (Q 500), aa (1022). Strombus costatus Gmelin (M 239 B). Strombus pugilis Linne (Q 500). Strombus raninus Gmelin (Q 502).
b.
c.
d.
(Scale 1/2)
y2
Mollusca
in
the Maya Lowlands
Pl. 5
a.
CYPRAEIDAE,
Cyphoma
OVULIDAE
(M437),
aa (6268).
Cypraea cervus Linne
b.
c.
gibbostim Linne
(Q 500), bb (2673).
d.
Cypraea zebra Linne (Q 500), cc (6017). Cypraea cinerea Gmelin (Q-500), dd (6975).
(Actual size)
74
MoLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
a.
cassididae
and miscellaneous small gastropods
b.
c.
dd,dd'.
e.
ff.
Phalium inflatum Shaw (M-825), aa (3865). Phalium granulatum Born (Q 504), bb (3700). Cypraecassis testiculus Linne (Q 504), cc (7289). Morum oniscus Linne (6982, 4561). Columbella mercatoria Linne (Q 500).
Nassarius vibex Say (696). Cantharus aurituluslAvik (Q 501). Cancellaria reticulata Linne (6584).
g.
hh.
i.
Melampus
coffeus Linne
(Q-502),
ii
(7290).
jj.
Natica canrena Linne (6283).
(Actual size)
9*
M
vâfl
A
Êi
M^jferraSSl
Efl
^^F
^^B
^^F
^2B
19
ub
'
n
1
'-
1|rV
-j6
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl. 7
a.
cymatiidae,
tonnidae, ficidae
(Q 502).
Charonia variegata Lamarck
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Cymatium jemorale Linne (Q 504), bb (4573). Cymatium parthenopeum von Salis (M 101), cc (6571). Cymatium pile'are Linne (Q 504), dd (4573). Tonna maculosa Dillwyn (Q 501), ee (6099). Tonna galea Linne (M 615), ff (3601). Ficus com munis Roding (M 825).
(Scale 1/2)
78
MoLLUSCA
IN
THE MaYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
a.
8 MURICIDAE
Murex fulvescens Sowerby (Chichen Itza), aa modern, Murex pomum Gmelin (Q 501), bb (7015). Murex dilectus A. Adams (3897). Thais rustica Lamarck (Q-501), dd (3633).
Purpura patula Linne (Q 500). Thais deltoidea Lamarck (6683).
Florida, U.S.A.
b.
cc.
d.
e. if.
(Actual size)
80
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl. 9
a.
MELONGENIDAE
Busycon contrarium Conrad (Q 500), aa (5080). Busycon perversum Linne (M 720), bb (5835).
b.
c.
d.
Busycon coarctation Sowerby (Q 500), cc (2281). Busycon spiratum Lamarck (M-1567-A-9), dd (2086).
(Scale 1/2)
82
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MaYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
a, a'.
io
melongenidae,
fasciolariidae Melongena melongena Linne (M 1002, M 824).
b,b'.
c.
Melongena corona Gmelin (Q 501,

Fasciolaria hunteria Perry Fasciolaria talipa Linne
M 999).
cc
(Q 504),
d.
(M 544), dd
(6578). (4208).
(Actual size)
84
MOLLUSCA
IN THE
MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
a. b.
c.
1 1
MISCELLANEOUS
LARGE GASTROPODS
immature specimen (Q 504).
Cassis tuberosa Linne,
Vasciolaria tulipa Linne, unusually large, specimens average less than half this size
(Q 500).
Vasum muricatum Born (Q 504).

Pleuroploca gigantea Kiener, half-grown specimen
Turbinella angulata Solander, half-grown specimen
d.
e.
(Q 500). (Q 500).
(Scale 1/2)
86
MoLLUSCA
IN
THE MaYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
a.
12 OLIVIDAE, CONIDAE
Oliva caribaeensis Dall and Simpson
(Q 502),
cc
aa (3693).
b.
c.
Oliva sayana Ravenel (Q-500), bb (5625).

Oliva reticularis
Olivella nivea
d.
e.
f.
Lamarck (Q 504), Gmelin (Q 502).
(3480).
g. h.
i.
Olivella dealbata Reeve (Q 504). Prunitm labiatum Valenciennes (M 562). Prunitm guttatum Dillwyn (Q 504). Prunum apicinum virgineum Joussaume (M 105). Conus spurius atlanticus Clench (M 720), ii (6827).
j.
k.
1.
m.
(Actual size)
Conns Conus Conus Conus
regius
floridanus
Gmelin (Q 500), jj (7228). Gabb (M 431), kk (6597). mus Hwass (Q-504), 11 (2960).
sozoni Bartsch
(Q 500).
88
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
a.
13 ARCIDAE, GLYCYMERIDAE
Area imbricata Bruguiere (Q 500), aa (7291). Area zebra Swainson (M 138), bb (7292). Anadara notabilis Roding (Q 500), cc (6603). Anadara transversa Say (M-1669), dd (6604). Noetia ponderosa Say (M 720), ee (5876).
Glyeymeris decussata Linne (Q 503). Lunarca ovalis Bruguiere (5464, 5875). Glyeymeris undata Linne (Q 504).
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
gg,gg'.
h.
(Actual size)
00
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
a.
14
mytilidae,
b.
c.
isognomonidae, pteriidae Modiolus demissus granosissimus Sowerby (M 720), aa Brachidontes exiistas Linnc (M 239 B), bb (3015). Isognomon alatus Gmelin (M 539), cc (4279).
Isognomon radiatus Anton (Q 500), dd (4421).
Pinctada radiata Leach
Pteria
(3966).
d.
e.
f.
(M 204), ee (2657). colymbus Roding (M-5 7i),f(i8i2).
(Actual size)
92
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
15 PINN1DAE,
PLICATULIDAE, PECTINIDAE, SPONDYLIDAE, LIMIDAE, ANOMIIDAE, CARDITIDAE
a.
bb.
c.
Atrina seminnda Lamarck (M 720), aa (7293). Aequipecten gibbus Linne (6932). Aequipecten muscosus Wood (M 2007).
d.
e.
Lyropecten nodosus Linne, juvenile,

PlicatulagibbosaLa.ma.rck
(Q 502), dd (6314).
(M 101).
f,P.
gg.
h.
i.
Spondylus americanus Hermann (both Q 502). Lima lima Linne (2628). Lima scabra Born (Q 501), hh (7294). Anomia simplex d'Orbigny (M 310).
Carditamera floridana Conrad
j,j'.
(M 433, M624).
(Actual size)
94
MoLLUSCA
IN
THE MaYA LOWLANDS
Pl. 16
a.
ostreidae,
corbiculiidae, lucinidae
(Q 500).
Gmelin (5033).
Ostrea equestris Say

bb.
c.
Ostrea frons Linne (Q-504), cc (7295).
d.
e.
f.
g.
Pseudocyrena floridana Conrad (M 720), dd (150). Lucina pensylvanica Linne (Q 502), ee (6124). P'hacoides pectinatus Gmelin (Q 504). Coda\ia orbicularis Linne (Q 504).
(Actual size)
96
MOLLUSCA
IN
THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl.
a.
17 chamidae
Chama macerophylla Gmelin (Q 501), aa (2427). Chama congregata Conrad (4978). Chama sarda Reeve (Q 502), cc (6133). Chama florida Lamarck (Q 502), dd (6132). Chama sinuosa Broderip (Q 502, Q 503). Both specimens Pseudochama radians Lamarck (Q 501, Q 502).
bb.
c.
d.
e,e\
{,{'.
illustrated are
upper valves.
(Actual size)
'
-'*"
&k
;
"
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,
"'Cv'-i'-T'
Bbbbbs1
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>m> KSL^
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kJ /J
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'HW
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I 1 Hi Hi m. A A M BL ^fl
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.
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:
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f"
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^^'i-* '-a^^
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BB^
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M^v^'bV^
HT-'til.BV
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-
S Mi'^ *'*{&&*'"'
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-'
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^b
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ll
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C)8
MOLLUSCA IN THE MAYA LOWLANDS
Pl. 18
a.
CARDIIDAE
Trachycardium isocardia Linne (M 313), aa (4150). Trachycardium muricatum Linne (M 220), bb (7203). Trachycardium magnum Linne (Q 502), cc (4985). Dinocardium robustum vanhyningi Clench and Smith (M 562A), dd (7296).
b.
c.
d.
(Actual size)
ioo
Mollusca
in
the Maya Lowlands
Pl. 19
a.
VENERIDAE
Antigona
listen
Gray (Q 503), aa (979).
b.
c.
Antigona rigidaDiUwyn (Q 500).
d.
e.
f.
g.
(M 572), cc (5957). (M 101). Anomalocardia cuneimeris Conrad (M 825). Dosinia elegans Conrad (M 332). Macrocallista maculata Linne (M 243), gg (1374).
Mercenaria campechiensis Gmelin
C hione
cancellata
Linne
(Actual size)
102
Mollusca
in
the Maya Lowlands
Pl.
a.
20
tellinidae,
Tellina listen
mactridae
(Q 503),
aa (7297).
Tellina radiata Linne
b,b'.
c.
d.
ee. ff,ff.
Roding (Q 500, Q 503). Tellina lineata Turton (M 720), cc (6951). Arcopagia fdusta Pulteney (Q 501), dd (6391).
Mulinia
Apolymetis intastriata Say (4734). lateralis Say (5525,7298).
(Actual size)
104
Pl. 2
aa.
b.
c.
MISCELLANEOUS
GASTROPODS AND PELECYPODS
Diodora listen d'Orbigny ( 1 5 69) Mitra florida Gould (Q-501), bb (7594). Pecten latirenti Gmelin (Q 504), cc (6434).
dd.
ee.
ff.
Murex rubidus Baker (6572). Modulus modulus Linne (6460).

Bulla occidentalis C. B.
g.
Nephronaias
aff.
Adams (1502). calamitarum Morelet (M 720).

and
Fischer.
h.
Pomacea
flagellata arata Crosse
(Actual size)
APPENDIX
Archaeological Occurrences of Other
Marine Invertebrates
At Dzibilchaltun and elsewhere,
other forms of marine
life
number
of
COP AN:
lumps
in Full Classic stela cache
(Long-
have been found in some

below, with comments.
year, 1952, p. 51).
abundance. These are
listed
TIKAL: Moholy-Nagy (M-MS)

ments of
lists
over 200 frag-
Abbreviations of references are those used in the

checklist.
coral not yet identified by species or arit is
ranged by age or context. However,
clear
from
CORAL
DZIBILCHALTUN:
tution,
her earlier paper that the context was largely cere-
Corals were kindly identified

Insti-
monial.
by Dr. Donald F. Squires, of the Smithsonian
UAXACTUN:
eleven in two
p. 66;
16 specimens, one in Tzakol cache,

caches, four in
who
also
determined which of our specimens

fossil.
Tepeu
Tepeu
fill
(K,
were "modern" and which were

at the site
is
Limestone
corals.
RR,
p. 159, pi. 68,^).
frequently very rich in
fossil
PIEDRAS NEGRAS:
sic
3 fragments,
two
in
two Clas-
Fossil specimens encountered
were normally
entirely
caches, one of
unknown
exact provenience (C,
removed from
their matrix.
They were probably
p. 60, fig.
52,^).
Squires writes of the Dzibilchaltun
obtained in the course of breaking up the enormous
amount
of stone used as architectural
fill.
The
Comment: Dr.
material:
fol-
lowing species were found:

"Several things struck
me
as
completed the
Colpophyllia
sp.:
i,
modern,
in
Cenote Xlacah.
listings:
fill,
Montastrea
sp.: 4, fossil,
three in Formative
one
coralla
I
(1)
many
is
of the older, possibly fossilized
had
called Montastrea, rather than Solen-
in Late Early period
fill.
astrea,
which
the
common
coral in this collection.
Pontes, probably P. astreoides:

Early period
fill.
1,
modern,
in Late
The
difference between these

I
two
corals
is
slight,
but important as
Solenastrea hyades: 4
in
fossil,
shall explain. In
is
Montastrea the
while in Solen-
three in Formative, one
Copo Complex
fill;
peritheca between the calices

astrea
it
solid,
fill;
15,
modern, nine
in
Formais
vesicular.
This
is
a difference
which
is
tive,
three in Late Early period and one
Copo
easily
obscured in the process of recrystallization

I
Complex
two on
2,
surface.
occurring as a part of fossilization. Hence,
Solenastrea bournoni:
am
one
fossil in
fill.
Formative, one
moved
tastrea
modern
to question all of the occurrences of
in
Copo Complex
2, fossil,
fill;
Mon-
without the time-consuming operation of
Solenastrea sp.:
one
4,
in
Formative, one in
in
preparation of thin-sections."
Late Early period

tive,
modern, two
fill,
Formain
"(2) All of the corals noted here with the exception of Porites astreoides have been
in the
one in Late Early period
one
Pure
found floating
is
Florescent cache.
Gulf of Mexico, and even that species

capable of floating.
this subject
I
poten-
MAYAPAN:
6 pieces "in tombs or in association

nature,"
tially
enclose a separate of a
with objects of a ceremonial

period (P, p. 387,
fig.
Decadent
paper on
by Dr. Louis Kornicker and

is
44,^).
me
[Kornicker and Squires, 1962]. This

is
a remark-
SAN
. .
JOSE: "Coral
or Bryozoa. Several fragments
able thing, as
the consistent selection of Solenastrea
."
in S.J. II or possibly III cache (T,,p. 181). 2 pieces in
from
astrea
a potentially larger selection.
HATZCAP CEEL:
CARACOL:
1
"All of the corals occur in the
West
Indies. Solen-
two
pi-
Classic caches
is
tolerably
(Thompson, 1931, pp. 273-74,
common on
reefs there.
XXXI,
But other
16).
species of corals are
more common.
piece, in cache (Satterthwaite,
quoted
by Coe, 1959, p. 60).
"There are known occurrences of windrows of corals which Kornicker and I believe are accumula-
107
io8
tions of floating corals. It
Appendix
might be
that your ancients
Xlacah, obviously as offerings. After storms, beautiful
were collecting from such

a real reef suite.
possibilities."
a selection,
and not from
specimens of the sea fan are found on nearby
There are obviously many other
beaches.
TIKAL: Numerous. At
from Dzibilskull in burial. Others
to
least
one placed under

to
As was
chaltun
the case with Mollusca, coral
were epiphytic
uncleaned
seems
have been collected from the
molluscs.
immediately adjacent coast rather than the more

distant reef areas,
where
strikingly beautiful specias
Comment: Dr.
sity of
Frederick
M.
Bayer, of the Univer-
mens could be found. Again,

material, even
with molluscs, no
Miami, wrote (personal communication) that

so
care seems to have been taken to choose attractive
such gorgonians as would be found in a cenote
though
it
was
locally available.
would have
other
lost
many
essential
characteristics
At Dzibilchaltun,
marine offerings
coral
occurred
among
it
that any classification
would be highly
conjectural,
in the
Cenote Xlacah and in one

all
even to generic or often family determination.
cache, never in tombs. In

loose in
for
fill
other cases
was found
search
or refuse.
We would be inclined to
for
its
PEARLS
Pearls, nacreous concretions
some other reason

At other
clear.
collection but have
none
found about foreign
to suggest.
is
sites its
ceremonial association
Ceel, Caracol,
particles inside the shells of a variety of molluscs,
more
At Mayapan, Hatzcap
it is
were highly valued

today.
in ancient times as they
are the
Copan, and Piedras Negras
found only in tombs

in three caches
As they
are
extremely
vulnerable
to
and caches. At Uaxactun

as well as in
fill.
it is
found
alternate desiccation
and saturation of the
tropics,
At Tikal
it
occurs in great abun-
they were probably
much commoner
would
than recorded
dance in tombs and caches of the Early Classic

period, then
archaeological frequency
indicate,
and
it
is
markedly diminishes during the Late
probable that archaeologists have often failed to

recognize their remains.
Classic. Classification
and
analysis of this very large
They have been reported

lowlands:
body of material should prove most informative.
from
five sites in the
Maya
BRYOZOA
DZIBILCHALTUN:
R.
J.
CHICHEN ITZA:
pierced, in
fill
1,
pierced in offering at Caracol,

p. 36, fig.
Pure Florescent (Ruppert, 1935,

of
37).
2,
Specimens identified by Dr.
High
Priest's
Grave; probably
p. 53).
Scolaro, of
Tulane University: 16 multilami-
Modified Florescent (E. H.Thompson, 1938,
nated colonies of Schizoporella floridana Osburn
were found,
six in
two Late Early period
caches,
COPAN:
11, pierced
and unpierced,
in
one cache,
nine in one Pure Florescent cache, and one in Florescent or later midden.
On
one of these was found a
small colony of Hippaliosina rostrigera Smitt. Dr. Scolaro writes that these are
species
all Full Classic (Longyear, 1952, IIJ figs. 94,^; IO 9,0- O ne was a jewel PP- 43, box made of a pair of Spondylus valves, similar to
;
and two tombs,
common
shallow-water
found in Gulf and Atlantic waters. These
gray, bleached specimens
would seem an unattractive
addition to ceremonial offerings, but he adds that
when
living they
were strikingly colored.

large
Gruning from Pusilha which conremoved from valve pi. XXI, fig. (1930, p. 483, 1). 4 were used in a necklace from a tomb in Mound 4, illustrated by Maudslay (1889-1902, vol. 1, pi. 21).
that described by
tained cut "blisters" of pearls
TIKAL: Very
found.
numbers
of
Bryozoa were
SAN
JOSE:
1
3, pierced, in a
tomb, Transitional
S.J.
They have not
yet been classified or analyzed
III-IV.
in cache, S.J.
V or close of IV.
(T, p. 182).
in terms of context.
TIKAL:
Pearls were found in considerable quan-
PORIFERA
TIKAL: Moholy-Nagy (M-MS)
lists
tities,
apparently in large part as beads or pendants
in burial jewelry
a considerable
(M-MS).
perforated as pendants in Tzakol
number of soft sponge fragments, not yet classified. At least some were epiphytic on other marine life.
UAXACTUN:
perforated, in
2,
burial; 2 perforated as beads in
Tepeu
cache;
1,
un-
GORGONIANS
DZIBILCHALTUN:
14 examples found in Cenote
Tzakol
burial.
A fragment of "blister"
from which disks had been cut, probably for mosaic, was found discarded in Tzakol fill (K, p. 66).
Appendix
109
Pearls
Comment:
logical
come from
in
number
of molluscs
chroniclers of
how
disappointed the early explorers
and vary tremendously
quality.
Most archaeoas
were upon finding the pearls spoiled by the action

of fire
it
specimens would be
classified
baroques
which was used
to
open the
shells.
However
(irregular in
form rather than purely spherical),

little
would appear
these specimens
in the
had the same value

of the natives.
which would bring

market,
but
or no price on the
modern
as the
undamaged ones
it
mind
which nevertheless made
attractive
Could
not be quite probable, therefore, that in the
nacreous ornaments and were valued as such in

ancient times.
eyes of the natives of Nicaragua, pearls
from the
They
are actually produced by a
num-
Pinna shells held as great a value as those from
ber of molluscs, afflicted by the intrusion of grains

of extraneous material into the mantel (the shell-
M.
margaritifera,
and that the

If so,
distinction
was made
by the Spaniards?*
Oviedo would have accused

could not be said of
producing organ) of the animal. The molluscs which
the natives unfairly.

the Spaniards
The same
produce the most perfect pearls in the area under

discussion are the so-called pearl oysters; in the Gulf
who bought from them and knowto
ingly sold
them by weight
the next Spanish
of Mexico
and Caribbean, these are Pteria colymbus

radiata; in the Pacific, these are re-
purchaser."
and Pinctada
CIRRIPEDIA
placed by their cousins, Pteria sterna and Pinctada

mazatlanica. In the Gulf of California, the latter
species
I 95^,
DZIBILCHALTUN:
by a
specialist,
32 barnacles, not identified
have been depleted by pearl fishing (Keen,

p.
probably of the genus Balanus, were
58).
Many
other genera produce pearls

these are
found
in a single
Late Early period cache. Certainly

fitted into scars)
of inferior quality.
gigas, the largest
toral,
Among
Strombus
(S.
lit-
some (which could be

ably
all
and prob-
conch in
this part of the Atlantic
of these
were removed from two large

in the cache, but they
produces attractive but irregular pink pearls),
Strombus costatus included

large conchs
Turbinella, and other gastropods.
And among
the
were scattered throughout the cache material. The were stripped of these and epiphytes
bivalves are the giant Tridacna, several of the
com-
mon
edible oysters
and clams and members of the

in evaluating
before interment.
family Pinnidae (the "Sea Pens," see p. 24 above).
Boekelman (1935, pp. 26162),

reaches
TIKAL: Moholy-Nagy's preliminary summary (M-MS) lists more than 200 Balanus. It will be interesting to see
if
Oviedo's description of a pearl fishery in Nicaragua,
these
were
also epiphytic to larger
some provocative conclusions:

amusing point
is
Mollusca in ceremonial offerings.
"A
rather
brought out by Oviedo,

sale or barter of the
It
is
on page 617, regarding the

pearls secured
ECHINODERMS
from these Pinna molluscs.
BARTON RAMIE:
derm
at
"About
fifty tiny
tubular beads
well-known
shell
fact that the pearls
produced by
this
were made from either Dentalium

spines (fig. 309,^).
.
. .
shell or echino-
by no means can compare in their water to
They have been
cut
those of the true pearl mollusc Meleagrina margaritifera.
both ends"
1
(W,
p.
509).
2 "sand dollars,"
Oviedo explains that the natives (who ap-
TIKAL:
echinoderm fragment,
parently fished for these shells primarily for food
context not yet specified
(M MS).
purposes) did not discard the pearls found, and even
though
their quality
was not of the
best
but
as pearls,
were
according to Oviedo, at this time (1535) sold and bartered here by weight they
. . .
Boekelman's footnote,
a point well-taken: "If the reader
mixed
ones,
these inferior Pinna pearls with the better
will bear in
mind
the vital psychological difference between
and obliged the purchaser

the
to
accept them,
selling
the Caucasian's viewpoint on pearls, and the
more primitive-
whereupon the purchaser did
same when
in turn to the regular merchants.
becomes clearer. To the more civilized races pearls have a purely monetary and aesthetic value, whereas the others value them primarily from a relicivilizations, this point
minded
"While Oviedo exclaims on the apparent

I
tricki-
gious standpoint. This applies to shells in general.
The
greatest
ness of the natives as well as the Spanish purchasers,
wonder
if
he
is
entirely right in
drawing such con-
market for pearls is not the United States, as might be supposed from the great concentration of wealth in this country, but in China, India, and Asiatic countries, and to a lesser
degree in Europe. In the East pearls
gious symbolism, in Europe
less so,
still
clusions, at least insofar as the Indians are concerned.
maintain their
in the
reli-
To mind comes
the statement
made by
and
so
many
United States
probably they have none."
IIO
Appendix
against visitors.
.
MISCELLANEOUS MARINE MATERIALS

.
The
fact
that they
were chosen,
.
Apparently as part of the same

.
. .
ritual
.
.
context,
of collection the difficulty despite ; r

.
and importation, r
various
nonorganic
c a origin were included in the panoply of orienngs.

\
..,,.,
materials
of
obvious
marine
some fundamental identification between bespeaks r

practices the r
and the
sea.
Moholy-Nagy's manuscript mentions frequent

sions of coquina
inclu-
(composed largely of
shells)
and
WTMM/IRV
The
port,
various unidentified "fibrous" materials at Tikal.
molluscs described in the previous pages are,
chunk
of
pumice with
striations possibly indicating
with a few exceptions, of ambiguous cultural imalthough certain aspects of usage are
listed in this clear,
use as a honing instrument was found in Formative

debris at Dzibilchaltun.
possibly III
At San
Jose, a
S.J.
II
or
But most of the items
appendix lacked
of the molfor
cache contained 8 pieces of pumice,

corals or
any aesthetic or economic value.

luscs
Many
mixed with
Bryozoa (T,
is
p.
181). Pumice,
inter-
were edible or of value
as
raw material
normally lighter than water,

action of water
formed by the
the manufacture of jewelry and artifacts.
But lumps
and
lava.
Although not
blocks,
necessarily
of coral or coquinas, colonies of Bryozoa, or fronds

of
of marine origin, the
pumice
which
are
Gorgonia had no such
uses.
They
reflect a
"Cult
widely used as an abrasive by the present-day Maya,

are collected
of the Sea"
which must
clearly
have been of great

never prop-
on the
sea beaches,
where occasionally
ceremonial import and which

erly understand.
we may
pumice
floats
ashore in considerable quantities durits
ing storms and hence
apparent ritual connection
dent period, the

offertory
From the Formative to the DecaMaya added such objects to their
with the
sea.
caches and their tombs. Non-molluscan
Mention of
this
fish
has been purposely avoided in

at
forms are found in
much
greater abundance at far

is
appendix. Description of vertebrate remains
inland Tikal than at Dzibilchaltun, which

to the sea.
close
Dzibilchaltun and the

lished
separately.
Cancun Midden
this category,
will be pub-
However, Moholy-Nagy points out

and
that
In
however, two
the bulk of such offerings at Tikal date to the Early

Classic,
in the
items are closely associated
with votive offerings,
and that they became
less
less
common
its
and should be mentioned. Spines of the stingray and

of the spiny boxfish have been found at a
of
sites, as
Late Classic. Dzibilchaltun, between
climax
number
phases in the middle Formative and the Late Early

period and Pure Florescent, was apparently a
little
well as copies of the former in bone, often
site
of
elaborately
and beautifully engraved. These are
importance.
We
found only one stone-walled

first
clearly related to the penitential bloodletting rites
(unvaulted) structure datable to the
phase of
is
of the ancients, in
which they must have played a
the Early period, and our stratigraphic sample
very significant part. Functionally they could
much
great
correspondingly tiny. So this

for the apparent discrepancy,
may
well be the reason
more simply have been replaced with

variety of thorns
the
arming
so
much
of the local flora
References
Abbott, R. T.
Gibbons, E.
seashells.
1954 Anders, F. 1963 Das Pantheon der Maya. Andrews, E. W., IV

1959
1962 1965
Dzibilchaltun:
lost
American
Princeton, N.J.
Graz.
the
1964 Stalking the blue-eyed scallop. New York. Gruning, E. L. 1930 Report on the British Museum Expedition to British Honduras, 1930. Jour. Royal Anthr.
Nat.
Inst.,
city
of
Maya.
60: 477-83.
Geog. Mag., 115: 90109. Excavaciones en Dzibilchaltun, Yucatan, 19561962.
Hatt, R.
G.
T.,
H.
I.
Fischer, D. A. Lamgebartel, and
W. Brainerd
Faunal and archaeological researches in YucaCranbroo\ Inst. Science, Bull. 33. tan caves.
S.
Estud. Cultura Maya,
2:
149-83.
1953
Progress report on the 1960-64 field seasons,
National Geographic SocietyTulane University
Hollister,
C.
the status of Fasciolaria distans Lamarck.
Dzibilchaltun
Program.
Inst.,
Tulane
Univ.,
1957
On
Middle Amer. Research

67.
Pub. 31, pp. 23-
Nautilus, 70 (3): 73-84.
Holmes, W. H.
1883
1969
Balankanche, throne of the tiger priest. Tulane Univ., Middle Amer. Research Inst., Pub.
32
-
Art in
sonian
shell of the ancient

Inst.,
Americans.
Smith-
Bur. Amer. Ethnol., ann. rept.

2:
(1880-81),
J.
179-306.
BOEKELMAN, H.
1935
Johnson, R.
I.
Ethno- and archeo-conchological notes on four
1964
The
recent
Mollusca of Augustus Addison
Middle American
2 57-77-
shells.
Maya
Research,
2:
Gould.
U.S. Nat. Mus., Bull. 239.
Keen, A.M.
1958
Sea shells of tropical West America.
Stanford.
BOLLES,
J.
1963
La
Iglesia,
Chichen
Itza,
Yucatan.
San Fran-
Kidder, A. V.
cisco.
1947
in
The
artifacts
of Uaxactun, Guatemala.
Car-
Borhegyi,
S. F.
1959
Underwater archaeology 33d Int. Cong. Amer., San Jose.

'
Guatemala.
2:
Proc.
negie Inst. Wash., Pub. 576. J. D. Jennings and E. M. Shook
(1958)
22940.
1946
Excavations at Kaminaljuyu, Guatemala. Car-
Coe,W.R.
1959
Piedras Negras archaeology: artifacts, caches, and burials. Univ. Pennsylvania Mus. Monogr. and V. Broman
negie Inst. Wash., Pub. 561. Kornicker, L. S., F. Bonet, R. Cann, and C. M. Hoskin 1959 Alacran Reef, Campeche Bank, Mexico. Pub. 1-22. Port Aransas, Inst. Marine Sci., 6:
Texas.
1958
Excavations in the Stela 23 group.
Ibid.,
Tikal
and D. F. Squires
1962
Floating corals: a possible source of erroneous
distribution
data.
Report no.
2.
Couthouy,
1837
J.
P.
Limnology and Oceanog-
Description
Marginella.
pt. 4.
of
new
species
of
the
genus
vol. 1,
1 96 1
raphy, 7: 447-52.
Boston Jour. Natural Hist.,
LlTTLEHALES, B.
W.
past.
Treasure hunt in the deep
Nat. Geog.
Dall,
W.
H.,
and C. T. Simpson
of Porto Rico.
vol.
Mag., 120:550-61.
Bull. U.S. Fish-
1902
The Mollusca eries Comm.,
Longyear,
1952
20 for
1900,
first
part
J. M. Copan
ceramics: a study of southeastern
Maya
(1902), pp. 351-524.
pottery.
Carnegie
Inst.
Wash., Pub. 597.

sacrifice,
Davalos H., E. Return 1 96 1
Lothrop,
to the sacred cenote.
S.
K.
Nat. Geog. Mag.,
1952
Metals from the cenote of

Itza,
Chichen
120:540-49. DlESELDORFF, E. P.
Yucatan.
Mem. Peabody
2.
J.
Mus., Harvard
Univ., vol. 10, no.

,
1926-33
Kunst und Religion der Mayavolker im
W.
P. Foshag,
and
Mahler
Bliss
alten
und heutigen Mittelamerika.
vols.
1957
Berlin.
Pre-Columbian art: Robert Woods lection. Phaidon Press. London.
Col-
Fewkes,
1883
J.
W.
in shell of the ancient
Inst.,
Art
no.
Americans.
Smith-
Maler, T. 190103
Researches in the central portion of the

Valley.
sonian
2,
Bur. Amer. Ethnol., ann. rept.
Usumatsintla
Mem. Peabody
1,
Mus.,
pp. 179-305.
Harvard Univ.,
Marden, L.
et
vol. 2, nos.
2.
Fischer,
P.,
and H. Crosse
dans l'Ame-
1894
Mission scientifique au Mexique rique Centrale. Part 7, vol. 2.
1959
Dzibilchaltun: up from the well of time.
Nat.
Geog. Mag., 115: 110-29.
Ill
112
Maudslay, A. i 889-1 902
P.
References
SCHELLHAS, P.
Archaeology. In Biologia Centrali5 vols.
Ame-
1904
Representations of deities of the

scripts.
Maya manu-
ricana.
London.
Papers Peabody Mus., Harvard Univ.,
Mercer, H. C. 1896 The hill caves of Yucatan. Philadelphia. Merwin, R. E., and G. C. Vaillant 1932 The ruins of Holmul, Guatemala. Mem. Peabody Mus., Harvard Univ., vol. 3, no. 2.
vol. 4, no. 1.
Smith, A. L. 1950 Uaxactun, Guatemala: excavations of 193137. Carnegie Inst. Wash., Pub. 588.
1962
Residential
and
associated structures at
Inst.
Maya-
Moholy-Nagy, Hattula
and other marine material from Tikal. Estud. Cultura Maya, 3: 6583. Morris, E. H., J. Charlot, and A. A. Morris The temple of the warriors at Chichen Itza, 193 1
1963
Shells
pan.
320.
Carnegie
Wash., Pub. 619, 165
Sowerby, G.
1
B., Jr.
84
The
J.
conchological illustrations.
London.
and
Spinden, H.
191
3
Yucatan.
406.
2 vols.
Carnegie
Inst.
Wash., Pub.
study of
Maya
art:
its
subject matter
historical
development.
Univ., vol. 6.
Mem. Peabody
Mus.,
Olsson, A. A.
1961
Molluscs
of
the
tropical
eastern
Pacific:
Harvard Thompson, E. H.
1897a
Panamic-Pacific
Pelecypoda.
Ithaca,
Paleontological
The
chultunes
of
Labna,
Yucatan.
Mem.
Research
Inst.
N.Y.
las
Oviedo y Valdes, G. F. de 185155 Historia general y natural de

islas
Indias,
y tierra-firme del
mar
oceano.
vols.
Madrid.
Perez,
J.
P.
186677
1962
Diccionario de
la
lengua Maya.
Merida.
Wash.,
Peabody Mus., Harvard Univ., vol. 1, no. 1. 1897b Cave of Loltun, Yucatan. Mem. Peabody Mus., Harvard Univ., vol. 1, no. 2. 1938 The high priest's grave, Chichen Itza, YucaPrepared for publication with tan, Mexico. notes and introduction, by J. E. S. Thompson. Field Mus. Natural Hist., Anthr. Ser., vol. 27,
no.
1.
Proskouriakoff, T.
Mayapan. Carnegie Pub. 619, pp. 321-442. Rice, W. H., and L. S. Kornicker
artifacts of
The
Inst.
Thompson,
193
1
J.
E. S.
Archaeological investigations in the southern
Cayo
368403. 1939 1950
district,
British
Honduras.
Jose,
Field Mus.
1962
Mollusks of Alacran Reef, Campeche Bank,

Mexico.
Natural Hist., Anthr.

Excavations
at
Ser., vol. 17, no. 3.
Pub.
Inst.
Marine
Sci., 8:
San
British
Honduras.
Port Aransas, Texas.
Carnegie
Inst.
Wash., Pub. 506.
1965
Molluscs from the deeper waters of the north-
Maya
hieroglyphic writing: introduction. Car-
western Campeche Bank, Mexico.
Ibid.,
10:
negie Inst. Wash., Pub. 589.
108-72.
Richards, H. G., and H.
J.
Tozzer, A. M.
Boekelman
1957
Chichen Itza and
its
cenote of sacrifice: a com-
from Maya excavations in British HonAmer. Antiquity, 3: 16669. duras. RlCKETSON, O. G., AND E. B. RlCKETSON 1937 Uaxactun, Guatemala: Group E 192631.
1937
Shells
Maya and Univ., Harvard Peabody Mus., Toltec. Mem.

parative study of contemporaneous
vols. 11, 12.
Vokes, E. H.
Carnegie
Roys, R. L.
193
1
Inst.
Wash., Pub. 477.

of the
1964
The genus
in the
Turbinella (Mollusca, Gastropoda)
New
World.
Tulane Studies
Geol., 2:
The ethnobotany
Maya.
Inst.,
Tulane Univ.,
Pub.
2.
39-68.
Middle Amer. Research Ruppert, K. 1935 The Caracol at Chichen

Carnegie
Sanders,
Inst.
Warmke,
Itza,
Yucatan, Mexico.
Wash., Pub 454.
G. L., and R. T. Abbott Caribbean seashells. Narberth, Pa. 96 1 1 Willey, G. R., W. R. Bullard, Jr., J. B. Glass, and J. C. GlFFORD
W. T.
Prehistoric ceramics
1965
Prehistoric
Valley.
vol. 54.
Maya
settlements
in
the
Belize
i960
and settlement patterns

Carnegie
Inst.
in
Papers Peabody Mus., Harvard Univ.,
Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Pub. 606, Contrib. 60.
Wash.,
Index of Molluscan Species

Aequipecten
gibbus, 25,
pi.
15
pi.
Cerithium eburneum,
15 floridanum,
8, pi. 3
8, pi. 3
muscosus, 25,
Anadara
grandis, 22
notabilis, 22,
pi.
literattum, 8, pi. 3
lutosum, see variabile
13
maculosum,
variabile.
transversa, 22, pi. 13
Anomalocardia
cuneimeris, 29,
pi.
Chama
19
congregata, 27, pi. 17
echinata, 28
pi.
Anomia
simplex, 26,
15
Antigona
listeri,
17 macerophylla, 28,
florida, 28, pi.
pi.
17
29, pi. 19
sarda, 28, pi. 17
rigida, 29.pl.
19
sinuosa, 28, pi.
17
Aplexa
elata,
Charonia
34
20
tritonis nobilis, see C. variegata
Apolymetis
intastriata, 31, pi.
variegata, 12, pi. 7
Chiuae
cancellata, 29, pi.
Area
imbricata, 21, pi. 13
19
Choanopoma
radiosum, 34
Cittarium
pica, 5, pi. 1
noae, see A. zebra

occidentalis, see A. zebra
pacifica,
22 umbonata, see
A.,
imbricata
Codakia
orbicularis, 27, pi.
zebra, 22, pi. 13
16
Arcopagia
fausta, 31, pi.
Columbella
20
mercatoria, 14, pi. 6
Astraea
caelata, 5, pi. I
Conus
floridanus, 20, pi. 12
longispina, see A. phoebia
mus, 20,
pi.
12
phoebia,
tecta
5, pi. I
regius, 20, pi. 12

6, pi. 1
americana,
sozoni, 20, pi. 12
Atrina
spurius atlanticus, 20, pi. 12
A. seminuda seminuda, 24, pi. 15

rigida, see
Crassostrea
virginica, 26, pi.
16
Crepidula
Brachidontes
exustus, 23, pi.
aculeata, 8, pi. 3 fornicata, 8, pi. 3
14
Crucibulum
auriculum,
8, pi. 3
Bulimulus
sp->
34
spinosum, 8
Bulla
occidentalis, 21, pi. 21
Cymatium
femorale, 12,
pi.
Busycon
coarctatum, 14, contrarium, 15,
pi.
pi.
9 9
martinianum, see C. pileare parthenopeum, 12, pi. 7

pileare, 12, pi. 7
perversum, 15, pi. 9 pyrum, see B. spiratum

spiratum, 15,
pi.
Cyphoma
gibbosum, 10, Cypraea
cervinetta, see
pi. 5
comment under
C. zebra
Calliostoma
jujubinum,
Cancellaria
5, pi. 1
cervus, 10, pi. 5 cinerea, 10, pi. 5
zebra, 10, pi. 5
reticulata, 19, pi.
Cypraecassis
testiculus, 12, pi.
Cantharus
auritulus, 14, pi.
Cardita
floridana, see
Dentalium
t.
Carditamera
floridana, 27, pi. 15
cestum, 21
Dinocardium
r.
Cardiurn
vanhyningi, 29,
pi.
18
magnum,
Cassis
Trachycardium magnum muricatum, see Trachycardium muricatum

see
Diodora
cayenensis, 5, pi. 1
listeri, 5, pi.
21
madagascariensis, 12
tuberosa, 12, pi. 11
Diplodonta
semiaspera, 27
II 3
ii4
Dosinia
concentrica, 30
discus,
Index of Species
Marginella
apicina, see
labiata, see
30
Prunum apicinum virgineum Prunum labiatum
elegans, 30, pi. 19
Melampus
coffeus, 21, pi. 6
Echininus
nodulosus,
7, pi. 2
Melongena
bispinosa, see
Euglandina
carminensis, 34 decussata, 34
sp-,
comment under M. corona

pi.
corona, 14.pl. 10
melongena, 14,
Mercenaria
10
pi.
34
campechiensis, 29,
19
Fasciolaria
Mitra
florida, 19, pi.
branhamae, see comment under F. hunteria distans, see comment under F. hunteria
gigantea, see Pleuroploca gigantea
hunteria, 15, pi. 10
lilium, see
papillosa, see
21
Modiolus
d. granosissimus, 23, pi.
14
Modulus
hunteria
comment under F. comment under
modulus,
8, pi.
21
Morum
oniscus, 11, pi.
tulipa, 16, pis. 10, 11
Ficus
tuberculosum, 11
pi.
communis, 13,
Fissurella
Mulinia
lateralis, 31, pi.
papyratia, see F.
communis
20
8
dilectus
Murex
5, pi. 1
barbadensis,
dilectus, 13, pi.

florifer,
Fulgur
perversum, see
see
comment under M.
comment under Busycon contrarium
fulvescens, 13, pi. 8
pomum,
Gastrochaena
hians, 31
13, pi. 8
recurvirostris
rubidum, see M. rubidus
rubidus, 13, pi. 21
Glycymeris
decussata, 23
Musculus
lateralis,
23
pennacea, see
undata, 23,
Helicina
comment under G. undata

13
pi.
Nassa
vibex, see Nassarius vibex
Nassarius
vibex, 15, pi. 6
34 Hemisinus
sp.,
sp-,
Natica
canrena, 11,
pi.
32
Neocyclotus
Isognomon
14 radiatus, 23, pi. 14
Jaspidella
alatus, 23, pi.
dysoni, 34
Nephronaias aff. calamitarum,

cf.
pi.
21
yzabalensis, 32
jaspidea, see
comment under
goascoranensis, 32
Olivellas
ortmanni, 32
Nerita
fulgurans, 6,
pi. 2
Lambidium
tuberculosa
Latirus
ceratus,
morum,
see
Morum
tuberculosum
peloronta, 6, pi. 2
16 infundibulum, 16
lima, 26, pi. 15
praecognita, see N. tessellata

tessellata, 6, pi. 2
Lima
scabra, 26, pi. 15
Neritina
meleagris, 6
virginea, 6, pi. 2
Littorina
ziczac, 7, pi. 2
Nodilittorina
tuberculata, 7, pi. 2
Livonia
pica, see Cittarium pica
Noetia
ponderosa, 22,
pi.
13
Lucina
jamaicensis, see Phacoides pectinatus
Oleacina
sp-,
34
pensylvanica, 27, pi. 16
Oliva
caribaeensis, 17, pi. 12
Lunarca
ovalis, 22, pi.
13
porphyria, 17
reticularis, 17, pi.
Lyropecten
nodosus, 24, pi. 13 subnodosus, 25
Macrocallista
12
sayana, 18,
spicata,
pi.
12
18
Olivella
dealbata, 19, pi. 12
pi.
maculata, 30,
19
mutica, see
comment under
Olivellas
Index of Species
nivea, 19, pi. 12
rosolina, see
"5
Quadrula
Olivellas
comment under
quadrata, see Psoronaias quadratus

Rocellaria
hians, see Gastrochaena hians
Orthalicus
princeps princeps, 34
Ostrea
equestris, 26, pi.
frons, 26, pi.
16
Spondylus
americanus, 25, pi. 15 crassisquama, see S. princeps
echinatus, see S. americanus
16
Pachychilus
glaphyrus, 32
indiorum, 32
largillierti,
limbatus, see S. princeps

princeps, 25
32
Pec ten gibbus exasperatus, see Aequipecten biggus

laurenti, 24, pi. 2
Strombus
costatus, 9, pi.
Petaloconchus
irregularis, 7, pi. 3
gigas, 9, pi. 4 pugilis, 9, pi. 4
Phacoides
pectinatus, 27, pi.
raninus, 10, pi. 4
16
Tectarius
radians,
27
pi.
muricatus, 7,
Tellina
pi. 2
Phalium
granulatum, 11,
Pinctada
radiata, 24, pi.
lineal, 30, pi.

listeri,
inflatum, 11, pi. 6
30, pi.
radiata,
20 20 30, pi. 20
14
Terebra
cinerea, 21 dispar, 21
Planaxis
nucleus, 7, pi. 3
Pleuroploca
gigantea, 16, pi. 11
Plicatula
Thais
deltoidea, 13, pi. 8
rustica, 14, pi.
gibbosa, 24, pi. 15

Polinices
Tonna
galea, 12, pi. 7
duplicatus, 11, pi. 3 hepaticus, 11, pi. 3

lacteus, 11, pi. 3
maculosa, 12,
pi.
Trachycardium egmontianum, 28
isocardia, 28, pi.
Pomacea
flagellata arata, 32, pi.
f.
18
21
magnum,
Transennella
28, pi. 18
pi.
ghiesbrechti, 32
muricatum, 28
cubaniana, 30
pi.
18
Prunum
apicinum apicinum, 19 apicinum virgineum, 19,
guttatum, 20, pi. 12 labiatum, 20, pi. 12
cf. storeria
12
Turbinella
angulata, 16, pi. 11
Couthouy, 20
Vasum
capitellum, 17
Pseudochama
echinata, see
Chama
17 16
echinata
muricatum, 17,
Vermicularia
pi.
radians, 28, pi.
Pseudocyrena
floridana, 27, pi.
knorri, see V. spirata

spirata, 7, pi. 3
Psoronaias
Venus
campechiensis, see Mercenaria campechiensis
quadratus, 33 semigranosus, 33
Pteria
Xancus
See Turbinella
colymbus, 24, Purpura
pi.
14
pitula, 13, pi. 8
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Connecticut
Libraries
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Digitized by the Internet Archive

2012 with funding from

LYRASIS members and Sloan Foundation

National Geographic Society -Tulane University

The Archaeological Use and Distribution

Middle American Research Institute

PUBLISHED WITH THE AID OF A GRANT FROM

THE FORD FOUNDATION

The Archaeological Use and Distribution

National Geographic Society -Tulane University

The Archaeological Use and Distribution

Middle American Research Institute

Annotated Checklist of Marine Species Annotated Checklist of Freshwater Species

Shells as Votive Offerings Shells as

Summary and Conclusions

Archaeological Occurrences of Other Marine Invertebrates

Index of Molluscan Species

Two Maya paintings of the

and adjacent regions

Ecological provinces of the Yucatan littoral

by archaeological finds of Mollusca in

4. Dzibilchaltun, Str. 38,

Tinklers from a private collection in Merida

Vermetidae, Turritellidae, Planaxidae, Cerithiidae, Calyptraeidae,

Cassididae and miscellaneous small gastropods

Cymatiidae, Tonnidae, Ficidae

11. Miscellaneous large gastropods

Mytilidae, Isognomonidae, Pteriidae

Pinnidae, Plicatulidae, Pectinidae, Spondylidae, Limidae,

16. Ostreidae, Corbiculiidae, Lucinidae 17.

20. Tellinidae, Mactridae 21. Miscellaneous gastropods

Archaeological occurrence and

distribution of molluscs found

Archaeological shell from Dzibilchaltun

Marine molluscs from

Cancun Midden, Quintana Roo, Mexico

The National Geographic

Educacion Publica of Mexico, through the Instituto

the present studies form a part, operated under

grants from the National Science Foundation and

and guidance are due the

Davalos Hurtado, Director of the

tions for this paper

were prepared and processed

as the several Directors of Prehispanic

National Geographic Society photographic

Yucatan representatives during our long

work has been done under

In the excavations at Dzibilchaltun between 1956

the largest body of comparative material available.

and 1965, over 2300

of their collection has not been finally iden-

fragments appeared, in addition

by species, and data on archaeological associI

ation have, of course, not been completed.

on Hattula Moholy-Nagy's summary

form that the

of material collected through 1962,

clear that the sea, only 10 miles north of

the ruins, played a very significant role in the

multiple one. Marine

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