The EastCoaster

By: Brianna McAleer 

It’s summertime and that means seashell collectors are on the hunt for the treasures of the sea! If you are looking for a great pastime at the beach, walk along your local beach and collect some seashells. The seashells along the east coast range from various sizes to widely different patterns. 

Photo credit: Easy Science For Kids

Fun Marine Science Fact #1: 

The seashells that we find washed up on our shores are derived from mollusks that have passed on. Mollusks like the knobbed welk, the eastern oyster, scallops, calms, snails, and saltwater mussels produce beautiful shells that we can treasure as relics or simply observe on our next beach walk. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Fun Marine Science Fact #2: 

Oftentimes, other types of marine life will reuse these shells as a new habitat. For instance, the saltwater hermit crab tends to utilize seashells from snails as their home and sheds them throughout their periods of growth. Once a hermit crab outgrows its shell, it is on to the next shell for the time being.

Photo Credit: Bellevue Rare Coins

Seashell use throughout history: 

 Nowadays, we tend to collect seashells and make jewelry out of them or use them as nautical decorations. For centuries, people from various cultures around the world utilized seashells as a means for currency and for pigmented use in paint. In fact, on our east coast, Native American tribes like the Iroquois Confederacy, the Algonquin tribe, and the Shinnecock tribe would utilize the purple-pigmented part of clam shells as a means of currency. The name the Native Americans gave to the purple part of these shells was “Wampum.” Similarly, these tribes would grind the seashells down to a powder to create white and purple paint pigments. 

These treasures of the sea grant us many uses and provide a variety of uses for our marine friends of the ocean. Next time you are looking for a beach day activity, collect or observe some seashells!