Shell Hammer

3D ModelNoAI

The Burns Site (8BR85) in Cape Canaveral, Florida, a Malabar II Period (900–1565 CE) occupation, contains a mound and associated midden deposits. Excavations at the site recovered a modified Busycon carica (Knobbed Whelk) shell, exhibiting distinctive use-wear patterns, including abrasion on the shell’s knobs and perforations likely for hafting, indicating its function as a hammering implement. This artifact contributes to the understanding of Indigenous tool production and marine resource utilization in coastal Florida. Surface collection- transect 1 area from river to 3 meters east.

This artifact was recovered during the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Program (CCAMP), a University of Central Florida field school conducted in collaboration with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) under the direction of Thomas Penders, CCSFS Cultural Resource Manager. 3D modeling and digital collection by Argonne National Laboratory. Field specimen: 8BR85.06.063