One possibility is that its a  sweet heart. Such items are often one 
offs and such a shell could have held a lock of hair for instance. Which 
reminds me of the US 5th Army badge my wife
 recently found in my mum's sewing box  - apparently she served on 
attachment from the British services with them for 2 years in the 1940s 
in Sicily which was news to me. Given Wednesday was St Paul's day it 
reminds me of some stuff about  "through a  glass darkly".


paul courtney
leicester


Jamie Chad Brandon wrote:

>Chris:
>
>I looks like it might be a version of a victorian shell purse....I'll see if I can find a pic....
>jamie
>
>--- 
>I am [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] 
>
>Jamie C. Brandon 
>University of Arkansas 
>Department of Anthropology & 
>NorthWest Arkansas Community College 
>Department of Behavioral Sciences 
>http://www.projectpast.org/jcbrandon/ 
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Christopher Fennell <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Thursday, January 26, 2006 11:43 am
>Subject: Artifact identifcation question
>  
>
>>Dear Listmembers, 
>>
>>An artifact was recently uncovered during some landscape work on the 
>>grounds of St. Peter's Catholic Church and Rectory in Harpers 
>>Ferry, West 
>>Virginia. I would greatly appreciate any information you can 
>>provide as to 
>>the identification of this object, its purpose, and likely date of 
>>manufacture. 
>>
>>Photos of the area in which it was uncovered and of the artifact, 
>>as well 
>>as background information about the site (which dates from the 1830s 
>>onward) are available online at: 
>>
>>http://www.anthro.uiuc.edu/faculty/cfennell/StPeter2006.html 
>>
>>I suspect it is a form of mussel shell snuff box, but it has some 
>>unusualcharacteristics. 
>>
>>Many thanks! 
>>Chris 
>>
>>********************** 
>>Christopher C. Fennell 
>>Assistant Professor 
>>Department of Anthropology 
>>109 Davenport Hall, MC-148, 607 S. Mathews Ave. 
>>University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801 
>>phone: (217) 244-7309 fax: (217) 244-3490 
>>http://www.anthro.uiuc.edu/faculty/cfennell 
>>
>>    
>>
>
>  
>