This article accompanies the fable
Sacred Prostitute
The scallop shell
The scallop shell is the traditional symbol for Christian pilgrimages although it is most associated specifically with the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia (the other two main pilgrimage sites have been Jerusalem and Rome). The shell can be seen as small badges worn on clothing or on buildings along the way.
Why a scallop shell? Although there have been mythological explanations, the most likely seems to be that scallops once were found on the coast here and they became scooping tools for pilgrims. A useful site:
http://www.santiago-compostela.net/
Also see Botticelli's famous painting The Birth of Venus on the lower half of this page:
