California and Great Basin Olivella Shell Bead Guide

Abstract

Olivella shell beads are ubiquitous at Central California Indian sites and were traded far inland by the local inhabitants. Their distinctive patterns of manufacture provide archaeologists with important chronological, morphological, and distributional information. This guide—authored by a professional artifact replicator and an archaeological expert on shell bead typology-- offers a well developed 16-category typology, including the descriptive, temporal, and metric characteristics of each style, illustrated with almost 200 color photographs. Spiral bound to facilitate field and laboratory work, it is an essential tool for conducting archaeology in the American west. Sponsored by the Society for California Archaeology and Pacific Legacy, Inc.

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