NC beaches offer treasures in the sand

The intricate wonder found in seashells brings to mind the observation of the Roman writer Pliny: “Nature is nowhere more perfect than in her smaller works.”

Man, since his beginning, has found delight in seashells. To the ancients, seashells and their contents were highly valued for beauty, as food, tools, the production of dyes and monetary exchange. The Croatan Indians of coastal Carolina, for instance, established a brisk seashell market, finding shells a convenient source of jewelry and tools, helpful in preparing skins and as containers.

The Virginia oyster – fresh, dried, smoked or salted – is most acclaimed of foods. Clam shells, particularly the quahog, could be used as tiers of arrow- or spear-resistant breast armor, but were more commonly valued as money, decorations or in personal displays of tribal status.

Whelk, the famed source of conch stew and chowder, has a shell formed in the shape and size of a man’s fist. It presents a formidable weapon. Among the most coveted shells are the handsome Scotch Bonnet, up to 4 inches, and the delicate and uncommon giant Tun, up to 6 or 7 inches

North Carolina’s beaches, washed by the warm waters of a northbound tropical Gulf Stream, include many near virgin shelling grounds where a choice of North America’s most beautiful and plentiful of seashells awaits.

This story was originally published July 11, 2015 at 2:00 PM with the headline "NC beaches offer treasures in the sand."