A strand of lustrous carved shell beads or a simple bracelet made from the natural beauty of a beachcomber’s find is the perfect way to carry a bit of the sea home with you. Whether you’re in the mood for something subtle or dramatic, a piece of shell jewelry can enhance any outfit and provide a reminder of your last summer getaway.

Shells have long been coveted as adornments. They were among the first pieces of jewelry humans created and are believed to be one of the oldest forms of body art. In addition to their visual beauty, these shells have a lot of symbolism to them as well.

In fact, archaeologists have found evidence that shells were worn as jewelry as early as 100,000 years ago. Daniella Bar-Yosef Mayer, an associate at the Peabody Museum at Harvard University and an expert in paleontology and archaeomalacology (the study of mollusk remains at archaeological sites), analyzed samples of ancient cone shells and compared their abrasions with those of modern specimens. She also hung the shells on wild flax string to simulate the wear they might have experienced when strung together.

She discovered that the abrasions on these shells, such as the orange spotted mitra stictica, and those on the modern specimens were similar. This indicates that the old shells had been strung together as necklaces. The ancient abrasions also showed that the shells were likely worn daily. The ancients probably used these shells to communicate their group identity or their status in society. Shell Jewelry