Thanks for all of the replys on the shell beads story.  I find it an
interesting topic and it might amaze people just how easy it can be to
fashion shell beads.

Henk Mienis (well known Conch-L member) reports on numerous Nerita
sanguinolenta Menke, 1829 found in gravesites at an archeological dig at
Minshat Abu Omar on the Nile Delta, Egypt.  All of the shells had a man made
hole in the middle of the dorsal surface and were used as shell beads.
While some shell beads had drill holes, the nerites were rubbed on a stone
until a hole was fashioned.  Modern researchers found this only took 30 to
45 seconds to accomplish (Mienis, 1993:40).

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