By StephanieV. May 29th, 2014
Two magnificent wide shell bangles, each made from a single conch shell (Turbinella pyrum) found at Harappa. "The use of marine shell in the manufacture of ornaments and ritual objects provides one of the most striking examples of the continuity between the Indus cities and later cultures in South Asia. Along the coastal regions of Makran, Kutch and Gujarat, the conch shell or Turbinella pyrum was collected throughout the period following the decline of Indus cities. Later, with the rise of cities in the northern sub-continent this marine shell became common at inland sites in the Gangetic region as far north as Taxila. As Mauryan contacts expanded to the south, some shell may have been collected from South Indian waters and traded to workshops throughout peninsular India." (Mark Kenoyer, Ancient Cities, p. 182).
See also Ornaments and Jewelry.