Main Discussion Area > Cave Men only "Oooga Booga"

Shell tool pondering

<< < (6/9) > >>

swamp monkey:
Some more tools and a Calusa village just for grins.

jcinpc:

--- Quote from: swamp monkey on August 23, 2014, 11:30:17 am ---Some more tools and a Calusa village just for grins.

--- End quote ---

the shells are hammers, look at the blunted ends of the columnella and the quahog is just a broken fragment

Billinthedesert:
Anyone actually use whelk as an adze blade? How long does it stand up to wood before it needs sharpening?

swamp monkey:
I made a hammer/ax and have plans to make an adze and Celt. These will be for use not just show.  I hope to report how they work sometime next spring.    I want the full tool set to begin on a project.

Parnell:
I live at ground zero for the Calusa tribe (Naples/Estero) and have done a lot of paddling, exploring and wondered about the use of shells for tools.  What has struck me is why the tribe didn't look to trade more or use any of the knappable FL rock.  They were supposedly powerful paddlers.  I've read they had the ability to make it to Cuba within 24 hours, wouldn't be surprised if some sort of sail power was involved.  If they were making it to Cuba - what resources may they have had there? Knappable rock isn't far outside of the Calusa territory.  I suppose shell worked just fine for them for their purposes.  Especially in light of the Calusa dugout canoe building they did.  A shell adze had to have been effective!

I've often wondered what they did with their dead.  I'd guess cremation because I haven't heard squat about burial areas or remains.
Sure wish there was an example of Calusa archery artifacts.  Sharks teeth points would have been the way to go but have wondered about the other details.  Probably cypress bows, potentially pop ash?  Myrsine makes good wooden native arrow shafts.  I wonder if they used bones from deer/panthers/manatee, etc...
Wouldn't be surprised if they were spear/atlatl folks more commonly than the bow.

Cool thread!

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page