Bead in the Shape of a Conch Shell c. 501 - 800

This bead in the shape of a conch shell was created by an anonymous artist and now resides in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The questions I ask myself when looking at a piece like this are: Why a conch shell? And why make it into a bead? Across cultures, conch shells are sacred and often associated with deities, good luck, or power. In this context, the bead becomes more than decoration. It's a symbol. Its diminutive size suggests it might have been worn, carried as a talisman, or used in rituals. The visual codes of the conch shell become intertwined with cultural references and historical associations. Understanding this object requires research. We need to ask questions about the social conditions, religious beliefs, and trade networks of its time. The role of the historian is to delve into these contexts, uncovering the layers of meaning embedded within the object itself.