Calling People to Gather

Exploring the Early Americas The Jay I. Kislak Collection

Pre-Contact America | Explorations and Encounters | Aftermath of the Encounter

Urban Landscapes | Ritual, Ceremonies, and Celebrations | Language and Context | Recording History | The Heavens and Time

Stucco painted conch shell.
Maya, AD 700–900.
Jay I. Kislak Collection, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (15)

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An artist has applied stucco to this conch shell, then decorated it with figures of deities for probable use in a princely Maya court. Indigenous tribes blew into conch shells to gather crowds and open ceremonies. Their sound is mystical and otherworldly, providing a touch of the supernatural.