Shells as symbols and witnesses of far-reaching contacts in prehistory and Lat eAntiquity

Abstract

The paper in the first part discusses the significance of shells as decorations in the impressa pottery, in the second part the Spondylus shells in graves of the Linear Culture and in the third part the Cowrie shells in Antiquity and in Early Middle Ages: they had always a significance as symbols of fertiility, of bearing new life. This symbolism still bear the representations of Venus in rennaissance art.

Keywords

• Shells
• symbols
• witnesses
• far-reaching
• contacts
• prehistory
• eAntiquity