Article by Parth Ambre
Illustrated by Medha Mitra
For many, a Conch shell might just become a souvenir of a summer trip long forgotten, but for the marine molluscs living in this shell, which is made out of about 95% calcium carbonate and 5% organic matter, it is a home. A ‘dead seashell’, in simpler terms, is the exoskeleton of the mollusks that have died, left behind by the tides and waves along coastal strandlines.
Seas and oceans were seen as dangerous places, and so a totem was likely to emerge that could be associated with safety. Conch shells proved to be this totem, especially in ancient Greece and Rome, where they were associated with Poseidon and Neptune.
This shell, which is home to about 60 known species of marine snails, has also been revered and used as objects of art in many cultures throughout history. Scholars believe that for over three millennia, since around 1500 BCE, the Aztecs used conch shells to craft offerings and luxury objects.
Conch shells have also made their way into the folklore of India. In a story called Madhab and the Magic Shell from Odisha, a young man named Madhab receives a magical wish-fulfilling conch shell from the Samudra Devta (Sea deity), which he uses for the betterment of his entire village. Although the shell is stolen by the local ruler, the deity gifts another, much bigger shell to Madhab, which he uses to run away from the village and settle in a better place.
In another story called A Dog, a Cat, and a Mouse from Tamil Nadu, a magical conch shell is gifted to a poor man for his kindness. This shell changes the man’s fortune, but it is soon taken and not returned by the local ruler. Turning the fortunes of this man for the worse. The shell at the end of the story finds its way back to the man and makes his life better again.
In William Golding’s internationally acclaimed 1954 debut novel, Lord of the Flies, a Conch shell plays a key role. It is the symbol of authority, structure, democracy, and civilization. Its destruction later in the story marks the complete breakdown of order and a descent into savagery.
Shells belonging to the Turbinella pyrum species take up a central role in Hindu religious proceedings. The resonating sound created by blowing air through a conch shell is considered holy. Vishnu, an important diety is shown holding this conch, and the warriors of ancient India blew conch shells to announce battle.
Likewise, in Edo-period Japan, it was used as a trumpet during special ceremonies such as a royal cremation. In Grenada, fishermen use the conch shell as a trombone to announce to the community that fish is available for sale, and in Hawai’i, they have been historically used as a method of communication.
In the Caribbean, broken or upturned conch shells are embedded into the tops of outdoor walls. Some American Aboriginals used cylindrical conch columella beads as part of breastplates and other personal adornments.
Through the annals of history, it is obvious that the Conch shell has indisputably become a symbol and a part of coastal civilizations across the world. William Golding’s use of it in his story about a group of boys stuck on an island, or the Aztecs and the Hindus using it in their religious practices and ceremonies, are just examples of how intertwined our cultures are with the environment in which they grow.