Spondylus
- noun
- /ˈspɒndɪləs/
- Specialized
:
spondylus
- Artifacts made from Spondylus shells have been discovered in archaeological sites across South America.
- Spondylus shell
Examples
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The ancient civilization used Spondylus shells as a form of currency in their trade.
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Most important, perhaps, they found shells of Spondylus princeps, or the thorny oyster.
Academic text (2009) -
In one of the rooms next to the nave, possibly a priest's office or residence, archaeologists found a Spondylus shell, a powerful religious object, buried in a shallow layer of soil above the plaster floor.
Academic text (2011) -
I love this vessel here which has the Spondylus shell and the Strombus gigas, a conch shell together in a ceramic vessel found up in the Andes.
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The Spondylus shell is often used in jewelry, showcasing its vibrant colors and unique texture.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Spondylus comes from the Greek word spondylos, which means 'vertebra' or 'spine' and is like the English word spine. The shells have many spines and can look like small bones, and people long ago used them as decoration and even as money, so the name helps you remember this spiny shell.
