Scallop symbol
We had our “French” Scallop shells given to us by Phillip and Thierry. Initially we thought they might have been too big to hang on our backpacks, but after visiting Brad and seeing his scallop shell, we realised they were perfect! These shells will travel with us and are fitting for the fact that we will be starting out on our Camino from France and also for Phillip and Thierry’s love of France.
Backpacks proudly showing off our “French” Scallop shells
“The scallop shell, often found on the shores in Galicia, has long been the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. Over the centuries the scallop shell has taken on mythical, metaphorical and practical meanings…
…After James’ death his body was mysteriously transported by a ship with no crew back to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. As James’ ship approached land, a wedding was taking place on the shore. The young groom was on horseback, and on seeing the ship approaching, his horse got spooked, and the horse and rider plunged into the sea. Through miraculous intervention, the horse and rider emerged from the water alive, covered in seashells.
The scallop shell also acts as a metaphor. The grooves in the shell, which come together at a single point, represent the various routes pilgrims traveled, eventually arriving at a single destination: the tomb of James in Santiago de Compostela. The shell is also a metaphor for the pilgrim. As the waves of the ocean wash scallop shells up on the shores of Galicia, God’s hand also guides the pilgrims to Santiago.
The scallop shell also served practical purposes for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. The shell was the right size for gathering water to drink or for eating out of as a makeshift bowl.” – From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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