Marine Shell from Burials in St. Henry’s Cemetery (11S1742), East St. Louis, IL (1866-1908)

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In the 19th century, East St. Louis attracted immigrants to work in its centers of industry and was a hub for westward expansion. St. Henry’s Cemetery in East St. Louis, Illinois was the prominent Catholic cemetery within the area, serving the community from 1866-1908. Supposedly relocated by 1926, the cemetery site was then developed into a National Guard Armory by 1952. Excavations in 2021/2022 revealed the presence of a large number of remaining burials in various states of interment, with over 75% of burials being intact. Of the 47 excavated features, a total of six were found to contain seemingly intentionally placed marine seashells. All features with shell were previously exhumed.

This presentation examines the shells themselves, the burial status and possible demographic information for each of the interments found with marine shell and discusses possible hypotheses on why the shells were placed and by whom. Possible hypotheses involving ethnic heritage, religious associations, and symbolic transference of the soul are discussed with the latter being the most likely hypothesis in this case. Other examples of marine shell use in mortuary rituals are discussed. This presentation offers a glimpse into mortuary and cemetery relocation practices in Victorian East St. Louis.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 40338.0