Shell Trumpets In Neolithic Catalonia Were Used For Effective Long-Distance Communication

Conny Waters - AncientPages.com - Archaeologists have discovered that shell trumpets in Neolithic Catalonia were highly effective for long-distance communication and may also have served as musical instruments.

The four Neolithic shell trumpets from Gavà mines that still produce sound today. Credit: Antiquity (2025). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2025.10220

Across the globe, seashells have been used to produce sound, and Catalonia stands out as a region where numerous shell trumpets dating from the late 5th to early 4th millennium BC have been unearthed. Despite their significance, these Catalonian shell trumpets have received relatively little scholarly attention compared to similar artifacts found in other regions.

"It was known that several Charonia lampas shells had been discovered within a relatively small area of Catalonia—specifically, in the lower course of the Llobregat River and the pre-coastal depression of the Penedès region, to the east of the city of Barcelona," states co-author of the research, ICREA Full Research Professor Margarita Díaz-Andreu from the University of Barcelona. "They had their apexes removed, leading some researchers to suggest they may have served as musical instruments."

Analysis of the shells reveals that they were collected after the mollusks had died, suggesting they were not intended for consumption but rather selected specifically for their sound-producing properties.

Map showing the sites where Neolithic shell trumpets have been found in Catalonia: 1) Mas d’en Boixos; 2) Cal Pere Pastor; 3) Cova de l’Or; 4) Espalter 1; 5) Mines de Can Tintorer. Credit: Antiquity (2025). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2025.10220

To investigate this theory, Professor Díaz-Andreu and researcher Miquel López-Garcia from the University of Barcelona conducted a detailed study of the shell trumpets. For the first time, they played these instruments to evaluate their acoustic characteristics. Notably, López-Garcia’s expertise as both an archaeologist and a professional trumpet player enabled him to assess not only the shells’ effectiveness in long-distance communication but also their potential use as musical instruments.

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"The shell trumpets are capable of producing high-intensity sounds and would have been highly effective for long-distance communication," says López-Garcia. "However, they are also capable of producing melodies through pitch modulation, so the possibility that these shells were also used as musical instruments with an expressive intention cannot be ruled out."

"Our study reveals that Neolithic people used conch shells not only as musical instruments, but also as powerful tools for communication, reshaping how we understand sound, space, and social connection in early prehistoric communities," Professor Díaz-Andreu concludes.

The study was published in the journal Antiquity 

Written by Conny Waters - AncientPages.com Staff Writer