The Scallop Shell of St James
On the way to Santiago de Compostela, the scallop shells markers are followed. The symbol was not only presented on road markers that guided the pilgrims to the cathedral, but it also appeared on some of the buildings along the way and was often worn by the pilgrims themselves as badges of their journey.
The scallop shell is traditionally a physical emblem of St. James, which has come about for several reasons. The first references St. James' supposed preaching in the Iberian Peninsula. According to legend, when he first arrived, there was a wedding being held on the shore in Spain. "The young bridegroom was on horseback, and on seeing the ship approaching, his horse got spooked, and horse and rider plunged into the sea. Through miraculous intervention, the horse and rider emerged from the water covered in seashells, and galloped off into the distance" (www.otherspain.com). Through this story, James has forever more been associated with the scallop shell.
The scallop shell also has a more metaphorical connection to St. James as well, which coincided with the pilgrimage to Santiago. "The grooves in the shell, which come together at a single point, represented the various routes pilgrims travelled, eventually arriving at a single destination, the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela”
Emotionally, the scallop shell served as a "'proof of completion'" for the pilgrims. Since they are very common on the shores of Galicia, gathering a scallop shell was a way for the pilgrims to indicate that they had accomplished their goal of reaching Santiago de Compostela.
The shells were very practical as well. Individual pilgrims would carry with them on their staffs, and the shells functioned as very useful vessels and bowls along the way. Also, by sporting a scallop shell, travellers could indicate their status as a pilgrim to the outside world. This was very important because, according to Edwin Mullins, "A pilgrim, after all was a privileged figure. There were laws safeguarding his progress - laws of hospitality, tax laws, church laws, moral laws. And the scallop-shell was his badge, or token..." (182 - 183).
