From the Introduction of this 240-page book: "Shells and the creatures that make them have intrigued and benefited humankind since very ancient times. Not only have snails, oysters, scallops and other mollusks been an abundant source of food, their shells have been employed worldwide as adornment, as tools, as money, and fora multitude of other purposes. In many societies, shells have been an inspiration, a motif, and a medium for handicrafts, art, and architecture. Shells have been elevated to religious significance in various cultures. Archeologists have frequently found shells and shell artifacts buried with the bodies of priests, nobles, and other important personages." Chapters include: Gastropods: The Spiraled Shells; Bivalves: The Clam Shells; and The Chambered Shells. Accompanying the descriptive text are dozens of beautiful color photographs., ISBN13: 9781884942006 ISBN10: 1884942008 Material Type: paperback