. 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
Bahia 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 Bahia 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 Bahia 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