Probably not the case in your situation, but freshwater mussels were used to make shell buttons. Cheryl Claasen published a SHA monograph on the subject. Delaware sustained a cottage industry in making shell button blanks from imported shell, the blanks then shipped to Connecticut for finishing; but this was in the 20th century, ending abruptly in the early 1990s.
 
 
 
James G. Gibb

Gibb Archaeological Consulting

2554 Carrollton Road

Annapolis, Maryland USA ?? 21403

443.482.9593 (Land) 410.693.3847 (Cell)

www.gibbarchaeology.net ? www.porttobacco.blogspot.com
 
On 01/24/13, Bill<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
Thanks! I will.

-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Keith
Doms
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 9:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Freshwater mussels on 18th century sites

I think we had 1 or 2 from Block 1191 Wilmington but that is nineteenth
century. Check with Alice to see if she had any from Thompson's Loss and
Gain.

KRD

-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bill
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 9:06 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Freshwater mussels on 18th century sites

Recent excavations on an early 18th century site in central Delaware
recovered some freshwater mussel shells amongst the faunal remains.
Normally freshwater mussels are associated with Native American sites in the
Middle Atlantic region. This presents the possibility of a Native American
presence or interaction with the European inhabitants of the site (circa
1720 to 1735). Several glass seed beads recovered from floatation further
support this theory. My question is: Has anyone found freshwater mussel
shells on non-Native American 18th century sites in the region? 

Thanks for your input in advance!

Bill Liebeknecht, MA, RPA
Principal Investigator
Hunter Research, Inc.
Trenton, New Jersey