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Article: Food of the Gods or mere mortals? Hallucinogenic Spondylus and its interpretive implications for early Andean society.(Research)
- Article from:
- Antiquity
- Article date:
- June 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Antiquity Publications, Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Introduction
For millennia, Spondylus, commonly referred to as the 'thorny oyster', has played a significant role in elite and ritual activity of a number of New World cultures. In pre-Columbian times, these molluscs were highly valued by Andean and Mesoamerican societies. There is even some indication that peoples of the Southwest, Caribbean, and possibly Florida, also cherished and revered this shellfish. In the Andes, Spondylus held great importance throughout its prehistory and among many different cultures. The shell was used as inlay for fine jewellery and other decorative ornamentation of the upper class, interred with nobility, placed in offerings to the ...