Shell money

Museum number:
1-1561
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21010001561
Alternate number:
145 (original number)
Accession number:
Acc.17 and Acc.86
Description:
Dentalium shells. One string of 4; each spiral wrapped with red snakeskin.
Donor:
Phoebe Apperson Hearst
Collection place:
Northwestern California
Verbatim coll. place:
California
Culture or time period:
Yurok
Collector:
Alfred L. Kroeber
Collection date:
1901
Taxon:
Dentaliidae
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Shell money
Function:
7.4 Non-issued Media of Exchange, Symbolic Valuables, and Associated Containers
Accession date:
1903 and November 20, 1901
Context of use:
Money
Department:
Native California (archaeology and ethnology)
Dimensions:
4.7 centimeters
Loans:
S2005-2006 #5: California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (October 7, 2005–March 15, 2006)
Images:
Hearst Museum object 1 of 2 titled Shell money, accession number 1-1561, described as Dentalium shells. One string of 4; each spiral wrapped with red snakeskin.Hearst Museum object 2 of 2 titled Shell money, accession number 1-1561, described as Dentalium shells. One string of 4; each spiral wrapped with red snakeskin.
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Shell money, accession number 1-1561, described as Dentalium shells. One string of 4; each spiral wrapped with red snakeskin.Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Shell money, accession number 1-1561, described as Dentalium shells. One string of 4; each spiral wrapped with red snakeskin.

Tools