Ancient Fascination

Collecting seashells is a hobby just about anyone can enjoy. Shelling brings both pleasure and learning opportunities to the collector. It appeals to our human fascination with the mysteries of the sea. Seashells come in many shapes, sizes, colors and patterns. Their natural beauty appeals to the artist in each of us. Shell collecting is one of the oldest ways to learn about nature. People have collected shells since ancient Greek and Roman times. A shell collection was found in the ruins of Pompeii. Shelling is the second most popular collecting hobby after stamp collecting.

Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, wrote about seashells. He invented the term "Mollusca," meaning soft-bodied animals without backbones. The soft bodies of mollusks are protected by hard shells that serve as outer skeletons. There are two classes of mollusks, univalves and bivalves. Univalves have a one-piece shell, usually spiral in shape, and bivalves have two shells hinged together. Individuals who study and collect shells are called conchologists. They study the anatomy, life history, and habitat of mollusks. 

Only a few mollusks can survive the shifting sands and heavy surf of sandy beaches. Most seashells found on beaches come from communities of mollusks that live in cooler in-shore waters like saltwater marshes. They thrive in soft sand and mucky mud flats. Shells are washed ashore by the winds, waves, and tides. The best time for seashell collecting on the beach is during the hour before and the hour after low tide or on the day after a storm. 









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