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Man passion for shells comes from the origin of mankind. They have been already used at the prehistoric era to construct necklaces. Then the Mediterranean people used them in classical antiquity to make the Royal Purple dye, manufactured from the mucus-secretion of the hypobranchial gland of a marine snail known as the Murex brandaris. Natural scientists began to collect and sort them by giving them names at the Renaissance.
Their great color and shape variety always fascinated people who collect and use them as garnishment, as money, as emblems for pilgrims and finally as collection items... [Read further]

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