Hallo from the UK Can you help with the following queries pls? 1. How can one drill a small neat hole into shells without cracking the peripheral area? Different technique/tool for thin and thick shells? 2. What sort of techniques and 'tools' might ancient cultures have used? I know about natural processes such as predation by gastropod drillers and abrasion which occurs to umbones of some bivalves (e.g. Glycymeris) and other regions of shells. All ideas, any literature references etc would be very welcome. I enjoyed reading all that stuff on edible molluscs! Jan Jan Light 88 Peperharow Road Godalming, Surrey GU7 2PN, UK email: [log in to unmask] Tel: ++44 (0)1483 417782 Mob: ++44 (0)7973 322681