The Indus Civilization c8.35

c8.35

The shell that was so largely used to make inlay, beads, and ornaments of various kinds was of a variety (*Murex chicoreus ramosus*, Linn.) that is common in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. A very efficient ladle with a handle could be produced by smoothing the rough outside of a shell and removing the interior core, and these utensils were much used in the Indus valley and also in contemporary Sumer. They probably served a variety of purposes, and differed appreciably in size, ranging from under an inch to over nine inches in length. Simple shell dishes are not so common as the ladles; they may have been too valuable to be left behind when the city was abandoned.