Dear friends:
 
 
For the old american cultures, (aztec, teotihuacan, mixtec and others in
Mesoamerica) the shell is symbol of water, fertility, life.  The god Tlaloc,
"Lord of the waters",  has the sea shell (white scallops,  and others) like one
of his representations.
 
Some shells, (Strombus,  Turbinella), where used like trumpets, calling for the
rain to the four cardinal points. The sound of the shells signified the "sea
sound", and the "thunder sound".
 
Between the  mayan and the centro-american cultures, the red spondylus were used
like ofrend - sacrifice to the death priests and gobernants. May be were used
like substitute to the human blood. Also, some nacareus oisters were used like
tribute to the death god.
 
?somebody has information about the north-american cultures ?
 
Jorge Mendez