A bead analysis of northern Chumash Village Site, Tstyiwi: CA-SLO-51/H

Kaya Wiggins · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · 2016

In the Spring of 2015, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, conducted a field methods class at CA-SLO-51/H, led by Dr. Terry Jones. The site was found to correlate to the Northern Chumash village, Tstyiwi. The site included a rich assemblage of shell beads. Of the 302 beads recovered from the site, 27 different types of beads were identified. The diagnostic Olivella (Callianax biplicata) shell beads indicate a village occupation spanning from the Early Period through to contact and early post-contact. Shell bead manufacturing at the site is demonstrated by abalone shell bead blanks and shell bead drills.

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