List of shell ring sites facts for kids

Shell rings are amazing ancient structures made mostly of shells! Imagine huge piles of shells, like those from clams, oysters, or mussels, shaped into circles, crescents, or even horseshoe shapes. These aren't just random piles of trash. Scientists believe people built them long ago, possibly as places to live, hold special ceremonies, or even just as giant garbage dumps.

You can find shell rings in different parts of the world, including Colombia, Peru, Japan, and the southeastern United States. Some places even have more than one shell ring, sometimes joined together or with smaller rings attached. About half of the shell rings found in the United States are located on the Sea Islands of South Carolina, Georgia, and northeastern Florida.

This list shows some of the known and possible shell ring sites around the world.

Shell Rings in Colombia

• Puerto Hormiga - This site has a shell ring from the Late Archaic period. This was a time long ago when people were mostly hunters and gatherers.

Shell Rings in Japan

Many shell rings in Japan are from the Jōmon period, which was a prehistoric time in Japanese history.

• Arayashiki Shell Mound - A circular shell mound from the Jōmon period.
• Futatsumori Shell Mound - This shell mound is shaped like a horseshoe and dates from the Early to Middle Jōmon period.
• Horinouchi Shell Mound site - Another horseshoe-shaped shell mound from the Late to Latest Jōmon period.
• Kasori Shell Mound - This site has two circular shell mounds from the Middle to Late Jōmon period.
• Kidosaku shellmound site - A circular shell mound from the Middle to Late Jōmon period.
• Kotehashi Shell Mound - A horseshoe-shaped shell mound from the Late to Latest Jōmon period.
• Kowashimizu - A circular shell mound from the Jōmon period.
• Nagane Shell Mound - This site features a horseshoe-shaped shell mound.
• Soya Shell Mound - A horseshoe-shaped shell mound from the Jōmon period.
• Ubayama Shell Mound - A horseshoe-shaped shell mound from the Middle to Late Jōmon period.

Shell Rings in the United States

South Carolina Sea Islands

Many of these sites are from the Late Archaic period and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), meaning they are important historical sites.

• Auld Mound, or Yough Hall Plantation Shell Ring (38CH41) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Barrows (38BU300) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Bull Island (38BU475) - A shell ring whose age is not yet known.
• Buzzard's Island Site (38CH23) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Chester Field (38BU29) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Coosaw Island (38BU1866) - This site has four shell rings, with two of them joined together. At least three are from the Late Archaic period.
• Crow Island (38CH60) - This is a C-shaped mound that might be a shell ring.
• Fig Island Site (38CH42) - This site has three Late Archaic shell rings, one of which has several smaller rings attached. It is also a National Historic Landmark (NHL), which is a very important historical site.
• Guerard Point (38BU21) - This was reported as a ring in 1897 but has since been completely flattened.
• Hanckel Mound, or Leadenwah Creek Mount (38CH7) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Horse Island (38CH14) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Lighthouse Point Shell Ring, or Parrot's Point Shell Ring (38CH12) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Patent (38BU301) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Sea Pines (38BU7) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Sewee Mound (38CH45) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Skull Creek (38BU8) - This site has two Late Archaic shell rings that are joined together.
• Stratton Place (38CH24) - A Late Archaic shell ring.

Georgia Sea Islands

Most of these sites are also from the Late Archaic period.

• Barbour Island (9MC320) - A possible Late Archaic shell ring.
• Bony Hammock (9GN53) - A possible Late Archaic shell ring.
• Busch Krick (9MC87) - A Late Archaic shell ring that has been damaged.
• Cane Patch (9CH35) - A possible Late Archaic shell ring that has been mined.
• Cannon's Point (9GN57) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Long Field Crescent/St. Catherines Island Shell Ring (9LI231) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• McQueen Shell Ring - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Odingsell (9CH111) - A possible Late Archaic shell ring.
• Oemler (9CH14) - A possible Late Archaic shell ring.
• Osabaw 77 (9CH203) - A possible Late Archaic shell ring.
• Sapelo Island (9MC23) - This island has three Late Archaic shell rings. Sapelo 1 is mostly complete, Sapelo 2 is very damaged, and Sapelo 3 might be an early stage of a ring or a very damaged one.
• Skidaway Island
  • Large and Small Skidaway 9 (9CH63) - Two shell rings that might be from before pottery was used.
  • Skidaway 21 (9CH75) - A possible shell ring.
  • Skidaway (9CH77) - A Late Archaic shell ring that has been changed a lot over time.
• West (9GN76) - A Late Archaic shell ring.

Florida

Sea Islands

• Grand Shell Ring (8DU1) - This shell ring is from the Early St. Johns II culture (around 900-1250 AD) and is found with a sand mound.
• Oxeye (8DU7478) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Rollins (8DU7510) - A large Late Archaic shell ring with many smaller rings attached to it.

East Coast and St. Johns River Valley

• Guana (8SJ2554) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Joseph Reed (8MT13) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Silver Glen Run (8LA1) - A U-shaped shell ring from the Archaic period.

Southwest Florida

• Bonita Bay (8LL716, 8LL717) - A shell ring with a mound next to it, but its age is not certain.
• Chokoloskee - This was a possible shell ring with other shell structures, but it was destroyed by building development.
• Dismal Key - This site has two Glades culture shell rings with other shell structures.
• Dismal Key Southeast Ring - A shell ring.
• Everglades City No. 7 - Two shell rings from the late Archaic or Glades culture.
• Everglades City No. 9 - Two late Archaic shell rings.
• Everglades City No. 10 - Two late Archaic shell rings.
• Everglades City South Ring - A shell ring from the Glades culture.
• Fakahatchee Key - Two Glades culture shell rings with other shell structures.
• Fakahatchee Key 3 - A shell ring.
• Hill Cottage (8SO2) - A Late Archaic shell ring.
• Horr's Island archaeological site (8CR206, 8CR207, 8CR208, 8CR209, 8CR211) - A Late Archaic shell ring found with mounds.
• Key Marco - This was a possible Glades culture shell ring with other shell structures, but it was destroyed by building development.
• Russell Key - A Glades culture shell ring with other shell structures.
• Sandfly Key - Two shell rings from the late Archaic or Glades culture, with other shell structures.
• Santina Horseshoe - A possible shell ring.
• West Pass - A possible shell ring (a crescent-shaped midden, or ancient trash pile) with other shell structures.

Big Bend Coast

• Deer Island (8LV75) - A shell ring from the Deptford culture.
• Komar Island (8LV290) - A U-shaped shell ring.
• Richards Island (8LV137) - A U-shaped shell ring, possibly connected to the Deptford, SwiftCreek, or Weeden Island cultures.
• Raleigh Island - This site has multiple small rings, dated between 900 and 1200 AD.

Panhandle Florida

• Bernath - A shell ring from the Santa Rosa-Swift Creek culture.
• Buck Bayou (8WL90) - A possible Late Archaic shell ring, possibly connected to the Poverty Point site.
• Fourmile Point - A shell ring from the Santa Rosa-Swift Creek culture.
• Gulf Breeze - A shell ring from the Santa Rosa-Swift Creek culture.
• Hammock Point - A shell ring from the Santa Rosa-Swift Creek culture.
• Horseshoe Bayou - A shell ring from the Santa Rosa-Swift Creek culture.
• Meig's Pasture (8OK102) - A Late Archaic ring, but it has very few shells.
• Strange Bayou - A shell ring from the Santa Rosa-Swift Creek culture.
• Third Gulf Breeze - A shell ring from the Santa Rosa-Swift Creek culture.
• Strange's Ring Midden (8BY1355) - A shell midden (trash pile) shaped like a ring from the late Weeden Island period.

Alabama

• Indian Mound Park (Dauphin Island, Alabama) - A possible shell ring from the Mississippian period (1100 -1550 AD).

Mississippi

• Cedarland (22HC30) - A Late Archaic shell ring that is different from those found on the Atlantic coast.
• Claiborne (22HC35) - Another Late Archaic shell ring that is different from those on the Atlantic coast.
• Kinlock (22SU526) - A C-shaped ring made of freshwater mussel shells.