A number of shell ornaments and a piece of coral were recovered from the
cave. At the same time unworked specimens were found and collected both
from the cave and from the midden which occupies the bay shore just east
of the cave.
_Abalone ornaments._--Three abalone shell ornaments (139551-139553),
identified as _Haliotis splendens_, were found. Two are complete, one
(139553) is fragmental. They all appear to be examples of a single type.
They are oval to circular, with the following dimensions: 139551 (pl.
13, _c_) is 4.8 cm. in diameter; 139552 (pl. 13, _a_) is 5.3 by 4.3 cm.;
and 139553 (pl. 13, _b_) appears to have been 3.9 cm. in diameter.
Thickness varies between 2 and 3 mm. In manufacture the original
external surface of the shell has been ground and polished to a nacreous
surface. In decoration of the two complete specimens there is a central
conically drilled hole from which short incisions radiate, and an
additional hole is drilled on one edge, probably for stringing. The
fragmental specimen (139553) has these holes, but in addition has three
other holes drilled near the original central hole. The original
description of the artifacts suggests that these holes may have been
intended as repairs (Annual Report, 1888, p. 129). All three shell
specimens are edge-incised, and two have punctate designs.
Until the present, few shell ornaments have been noted in the
archaeology of Baja California. No specimens identical to those from
Bahía de Los Angeles are known; however, all of the decorative elements
and techniques recorded here can be duplicated among specimens of oyster
(_Pinctada mazatlanica_) shell ornaments from the Cape Region far to the
south (Massey, MS 1). Since abalone do not occur in the Gulf of
California, these shells must have been obtained by the Bahía de Los
Angeles people from the Pacific Coast, either directly or in trade.
Specific mention of the use of abalone among the historic Indians of the
peninsula is rare in the documents; however, contemporary Kiliwa women
use pieces of the shell for ornamentation (Meigs, 1939, p. 35).
Abalone shell was commonly used by peoples of adjacent California. Both
the shell and, probably, the ornaments themselves were widely traded
into the Southwest. Ornaments very similar to the Bahía de Los Angeles
specimens have been found in Basketmaker caves in Arizona (Guernsey and
Kidder, 1921, p. 49).
_Olivella shell._--Four broken strings of _Olivella_ shell beads (_O_.
_biplicata_) (139546) were found with the burials. Two types are
represented. There are three short strands, totaling 17 beads, in which
only the spires have been ground from the shells for stringing (pl. 13,
_e_). The fourth strand held 9 _Olivella_ shells, somewhat larger than
the others, from which both the spires and bases had been ground (pl.
13, _d_).
In addition to the strings of beads, _Olivella_ shell is recorded in
use with two other specimens in the collection. Fragments of shells are
found as inlay on a wooden artifact (139565); for a description see the
section on "Wooden Artifacts." They are also found tied in with bundles
of human hair in a garment (139539).
The use of _Olivella_ shells, with spires, bases, or both removed by
grinding in order to make beads, is known throughout Baja California
archaeologically. Similar occurrences are even more frequent in the
archaeology of southern and central California (Gifford, 1947, p. 11).
_Olivella_ shells inlaid in asphaltum have been found in southern
California (ibid., p. 36). The inlaid fragments of the shell from Bahía
de Los Angeles duplicate this type of decoration.
_Coral._--There is a piece of coral (139566) which may have been
purposefully smoothed into an elongate object, 10.5 cm. in length.
_Unworked shell._--Dr. Palmer collected sample specimens of unworked
shell from the open midden on the bay to the east of the burial site, as
well as unworked shell in association with the burials in the cave
(Annual Report, 1888, p. 129). These are listed below:
Cave Specimens
139561-_Cardium_ _elatum_ Sby.
139562-_Pecten_ (_vola_) _dentata_ Sby.
Midden Specimens
139590-_Cardium_ _pentunculus_
139591-(_Aximea_) _gigantea_
139592-_Strombus_ _gracilior_ Sby.
139593-_Strombus_ _tesselatum_
139594-_Callista_ _chionaea_
139595-_Chione_ _fluctifraga_
139596-_Crucibulum_ _spinosum_ Sby.
139597-_Chione_ (?) _succinata_
139598-_Neverita_ _reclugiana_
139599-_Dosinia_ _ponderosa_
139600-_Arca_ sp.
139602-_Pecten_ (_vola_) _dentata_
139603-_Venus_ _guidia_
139604-_Cardita_ (_Lazaria_) _californica_
139605-_Avicula_ sp.
139606-_Tapes_ _grata_ Sby. and _histrionica_
139607-_Solecurtus_ _californianus_ Com.
139608-_Spondylus_ _princeps_
139609-_Ostraea_ _palmilla_ cpr.
139610-_Liacardium_ _elatium_
139611-_Phyllontus_ sp.
139612-_Prinna_ sp.