Very multifunctional

Apart from a military function, our conch might have been used for a variety of other purposes. As mentioned before, conches have been used in innumerous ways. One of the most extraordinary I found was the story of a man who used a conch to catch ants, as described in James Hornell’s The Sacred Chank of India [Hornell 1914, p 172]. The man would walk up to an anthill and blow the conch, which caused all the ants to come out. He then proceeded to catch them with his hands and ate them raw.

In religious practices, Hinduism and Buddhism being prominent examples, conches play an important role. In the Hindu tradition, the conch is associated with the god Vishnu and symbolizes fertility. In Buddhism, many connections are drawn between the shell and the Buddha. Besides the aforementioned similarity between the sound of the conch and the supposed voice of the Buddha, the right spiraling shape of most conches is thought to symbolize the right spiraling hairs of the Buddha, as well as his ūrṇā, the circular dot on his forehead, and his navel.[Beer 2014, p 185]

Moreover, in many instances conches were magnificently decorated (see image). However, we can tell from our shell that it likely was not ornamented. It is clear that it has only been thoroughly polished and two holes have been made on the lip. This perhaps hints at a more modest purpose, such as military use.

Furthermore, conches were and are often used as medicine. The ash of incinerated conches, also known as Shanka Bhasma, is used to treat a variety of physical complaints, as well as some diseases, and is both applied externally and internally. It is thought to cure digestive impairment, asthma, tumors, earache, eye troubles, gonorrhoea, flatulence and diarrhoea among many others. Shanka Bhasma is often sold as just powder, but is also sold in the form of pills [Gopal et al 2008, p 142].

On top of that, bangles made from conch shells are also thought to have remedial effects and help ward off evil. They are worn by both men and women throughout Tibet, South Asia and Southeast Asia,though in some places they are only seen as appealing ornaments [Hornell 1914, p 101-117].