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Jade: The Sacred Stone of Ancient Mesoamerica" with Dr. Karl Taube

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Spider Gorget with the 3 Dot motif

Native Americans made gorgets like this one from materials like marine shell that were not found locally and had to be obtained through trade. This object is made from marine shell from the South Atlantic Coast or the Gulf of Mexico and is engraved with the image of a spider with a cross on its back.

Gorgets are pendants that are worn on the chest and hung from a string or on a necklace. The term gorget typically refers to armor worn to protect the throat. Several similar gorgets have been found throughout the Mississippi River Valley and in the southeastern United States. This gorget was found near Dickson Mounds and was made around A.D. 1300.

The spider was an important symbol to people of the Mississippian culture. The body of the spider forms a cross, with four groups of two legs each coming out of the body. The spider symbol was mainly associated with women. It is thought that the spider symbolized weaving, fertility, the center of the earth, balance, and harmony. Archaeologists believe that the cross on the reverse side is a symbol of fire, the sun, and the center of the earth, or possibly the four directions (north, south, east, and west).

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Engraved shell gorgets from Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Engraved Shell Gorgets from Illinois
By B. W. Stephens
Editor, Illinois State Archaeological Society
Quincy, Illinois
It is common knowledge that the various forms of pierced engraved shell gorgets and shell gorgets with plain surfaces, which in all probability had different designs painted upon them,were worn by the Indians as ornaments. Doubtless these gorgets were not worn for mere personal adornment but had certain specialized uses; such as, insignias, amulets, and symbols. As insignias they were doubtless badges of ceremonial office or of disTinction. It seems evident that the designs engraved upon them were indicative of the official position held, and were specific records representing brave deeds accomplished, or were awards for some notable feat of strength or daring. As amulets they were supposed to be invested with supernatural protective power. The designs, if any, were usually derived from dreams or imaginary visions, hence, as a result of these individual experiences and ideas. Several patterns have been discovered bearing
identical designs. Note: Figure 59. As symbols they were intended to possess a religious character and were generally indicative of clan or totem. Many are inscribed with mythological characters and a few specimens contain geometric designs which may be suggestive of time hieroglyphics, or the order of ceremonial work. Other designs, of which the cross, spider, serpent and the scalloped disk are examples, have been found in Indian burials in southern Illinois. These are not simple inscribed individual ornaments, but more elaborate ones on which many are fairly accurate.duplicate designs were used. The large number of these precludes the theory that they were products of idle fancy and made merely for individual gratification. This is very evident when we consider the amount of labor and patience required to engrave them. The frequent recurrence of the same design and the wide distribution of individual types or forms, although varied to some degree, still retain enough of the origInal "type design" to be easily classified as belonging to one of the above mentioned groups.The Illinois River area has been especially productive of the cross type gorget. Many of these specimens are cut entirely through the shell. All attempts to connect the use of this design
by the aborigines with that of the "white man's cross" have failed. However, it is known that the first explorers were accompanied by Christians, who made a gallant attempt to root out native superstitions, and as a substitute to introduce the Christian faith. The cross being the insignia of this religion; the emblem was doubtless accepted by the natives as the only tangible feature of a belief too intellectually profound for their comprehension. Although other phases of Christianity may have
been forgotten by the savages, the symbolic cross could have remained in the "mind's eye", and they may have copied this design upon the shell and worn it
in the same manner as they had been accustomed to wear their beads or other ornaments. That the Indian would select a spider as a basis for ornamental design is not strange when we consider it was from the spider that the Indian was supposed to have learned to weave, make nets for seining fish, etc.; thus the spider would
be held in high esteem. Because of the resemblance to the tarantula, with its deadly powers, the spider would be likened unto the rattlesnake, which was used very extensively in design ornamentation. It is well known that the serpent plays an important part in the ceremonial life of the Indian, which may account for the fact that more serpent or rattlesnake gorgets are found in Illinois than any other engraved design. The scalloped disk design, possibly indicating a circle or sun symbol, must have had some special significance in the mythology, customs or religion of the Indian. Many of the tribes were sun worshippers, especially the Natchez, and it therefore seems possible that the rosette or scalloped disk gorget may have been designed for religious use. Although the area of the engraved
shell gorgets is quite extensive, they are not found, except in isolated cases, beyond the general region formerly occupied by the Cherokees and the Shawnees. As a general rule the engraved shell ornaments are found in rock crypt burials and are considered as belonging to the "stone grave people."
References
Holmes, William H.
1880-81. Second Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology.

Peabody and Moorehead
1906. Bulletin 11; Phillips Academy.

Hodge, Frederick Webb
1912. Bulletin Thirty; Bureau of American Ethnology.

Fowke, Gerard
1902. Archaeological History of Ohio.

Young, Bennett H.
1910. The Prehistoric Men of Kentucky.

Moore, Clarence B.
1912. Some Aboriginal Sites on the Red River. Journal of the Academy of Sciences of Philadelphia, Vol. XIV.
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Our Lady of the Cumberland Effigy
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Usulutan Pottery
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