The Shell by MÓÐIR

Affection for shells predates our species. Half a million years ago, Homo erectus sharpened a mussel shell on what is now the island of Java. The oldest engraving in the world was found on a shell, and the oldest known jewelry is made from shells. It is the first evidence of humans intentionally burying personal adornments in a grave.

Throughout history, shells have been used in rituals and ceremonies around the world and have even served as currency. In the Middle Ages, pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela began carrying scallops, and baptismal fonts were shaped like these shells. In several cultures, the shell has symbolic value, from India, where Vishnu carries a shell, to the moon god in Aztec culture.

It is symbolically associated with the vulva and uterus as organs of reception and giving of life, and with Mary, representing divine conception. It is a multifaceted symbol, carrying meanings that span cultures and eras, always evoking the ideas of protection, fertility and life.