Description
Shiva Shell, Drops, Pendants, 100 Gram Lots
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Shiva Shell, often called Shiva’s Eye or Pacific Cat’s Eye, is a striking, naturally occurring organic "gem". While it looks like a beautifully carved stone, its origins are entirely biological.
Despite the name, a Shiva shell isn’t the main spiral shell that a sea creature lives inside. Instead, it is an operculum — the protective "trapdoor" attached to the foot of a sea snail, specifically from the Turban Snail found in the shallow, tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region: primarily Thailand, Indonesia, and northern Australia.
When the snail senses danger, it pulls itself inside its shell and closes this hard door behind it to ward off predators. At the end of the snail's natural life cycle, the operculum detaches and sinks to the seabed, where it is eventually collected.
The shell gets its name from the Hindu deity Lord Shiva. In Hindu tradition, Shiva is often depicted with a vertical third eye on his forehead, representing wisdom, spiritual transformation, and cosmic consciousness. Old folklore among sailors and fishermen alternatively refers to these smooth discs as "mermaid's money," carrying them as good luck charms for safe travel across the water.
Mohs Hardness 3 to 4
