Shells with etched and painted animals and geometric designs. This etching technique, using cactus juice to eat away the surface, was employed in the Southwest 500 years before the technique was discovered by Europeans. - Concave inner surface of a shell with etched geometric design; the design elements are emphasized with the addition of turquoise and red pigment. Among the Hohokam pieces, this is among the most striking and beautiful. Width: 4.72 inches. ASM.
ASM = Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson (Arizona)
Shells with etched and painted animals and geometric designs. This etching technique, using cactus juice to eat away the surface, was employed in the Southwest 500 years before the technique was discovered by Europeans. - Concave inner surface of a shell with etched geometric design; the design elements are emphasized with the addition of turquoise and red pigment. Among the Hohokam pieces, this is among the most striking and beautiful. Width: 4.72 inches. ASM.
ASM = Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson (Arizona)