Hohokam bracelets
ca. AD 450–1150
Gila County, Arizona
Glycymeris shell
7 cm (average diameter)
James E. Sullivan Collection
23/1968
Hohokam bracelets were crafted from Glycymeris shell from the Gulf of California. The ubiquity of these bracelets, coupled with the observation that they come in various sizes, suggests that they were worn by everyone from young children to adults. Bracelets were cut from the shell, then abraded and polished.