Archaeologists have discovered that the pre-Columbian Pueblo peoples who lived in southwestern America in the 9th-12th centuries used shells to communicate and maintain ties between communities over relatively long distances.
This was reported by Ancient Origins.
Scientists say that even if people living in different settlements were out of site, they were seldom out of sound range, thanks to the prodigious acoustical characteristics of these shells.
Many conch-shell trumpets were found during excavations in Chaco Canyon, which is now recognized as a National Historical Park and World Heritage Site. The shells are the rescued outer remains of many varieties of large sea snails that people living in coastal areas collected for food in the waters of the Caribbean and Atlantic oceans.
In ancient times, shells were widely traded throughout Mesoamerica as they were used for ceremonial purposes and communication in many different cultures. In fact, trumpets or horns made from discarded sea snail shells have been found in archaeological sites around the world, showing their universal utility based on their ability to produce surprisingly loud sounds.
Earlier, we reported that scientists have discovered interesting rock art that is 4,000 years old.