These shells belong to a large group of tooth shaped shells called scaphopod mollusks. They are often known as tusk shells or dentalium shells due to their striking resemblance to teeth and tusks. Don’t expect to find these lying on the beach though; the creatures that use the dentalium shell as a home live outside the tidal currents so they rarely show up on the shore.
Mainly found in the Pacific Northwest, the tribes there often used the dentalium as jewelry, to adorn regalia, or as a form of payment. The worth of the shells depended on their length, though most dentalium found in modern crafts are from a smaller Asiatic cousin. Since the value of the shell was dependent on size, shells that measured at least 2.25 inches were prized. Some Californian tribes even had men whose job was to measure strands of these shells during payments. This was done by comparing the shells to lines that had been tattooed on an individual’s arm solely for that purpose.
