SHELL TRUMPETS

This post could could have been called “musical shells.” It concerns the use of certain large-size shallow-marine gastropod (snail) shells that have historically been used for the purpose of signaling. Mariners would cut off the tip (spire) of one of these shells and blow through the shell, thereby producing a distinct and far-travelling note. Although almost any stout shell could be used, the following three, which are illustrated below, are preferred. The bigger the shell, the deeper the tone of the sound, which can be similar to that of foghorns.

Three examples of "shell trumpets":

1) Four views (apertural, dorsal, right side, and top) of the same specimen of the “Helmet shell” = Cassis cornuta (Linné, 1758), length 22 cm, width 15.5 cm; three views: apertural, dorsal, and right side.

2) Three views of the same specimen of “Atlantic Triton shell” = Charonia variegata (Lamarck, 1816), length 15 cm, width 6 cm; three views: apertural, dorsal, and right side. from southeast Florida, West Indies. Note: Except for being smaller in size, this species looks very similar to Charonia tritonis (Linné, 1758) from coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific area.

3) “Queen conch” = Strombus gigas from southeastern United States and West Indies; length 22.8 cm, width 20.3 cm, right side 12.7 cm. Note: There are two colonial corals (lumpy objects) attached along one side of this shell.

Go online to YouTube.com, if you want to see videos describing the process of making a shell trumpet and how to make the associated musical notes. These videos are interesting and educational. One thing they commonly forget to mention is to be sure to wear a mask when cutting through any shell, especially when the cutting is done via a drill or electric grinder. The dust is toxic.

Antonowitz (1972) wrote an article describing shell ochestras comprised of groups of people in New Guinea , Germany, and elsewhere in the world assembling for the purpose of making “conch”

music.

References Cited:

Antonowitz, W. Hear the shells! Of Sea and Shore, Summer 1972, pp. 67–68.