Shell- Trumpets and therr Distribution. 33 
Holy Week in the Cathedral of Genoa, the 7rzton nodiferus 
used to be sounded.!! 
In his paper on “Purple Dyeing in Central America, 
Professor von Martens refers to the survival of the use of 
412 
shell-trumpets at the present day in certain localities in 
southern France, Elba, Corsica, and Sicily, for the sum- 
moning of fishermen and field labourers. 
In the 18th century the Corsican militia, under Paoli, 
employed them instead of drums and trumpets.” 
Prion shells are still) in, common; use’ in. Crete, 
especially among the village guards, as a means of raising 
an alarm or calling for help." 
As in the case of Shell-purple,” the island of Crete 
figures very prominently in the early use of shell-trumpets. 
Mariani has published a Minoan seal on which a 
woman is sounding the shell of a 77zton before the sacred 
horns of an altar.” This seal, which was found in the 
Idaean cave, is also described and figured by A. J. Evans 
imenis) WWhyeenaean i ree and -Pillar, Cult/’-% |“ Here;” he 
tells us, “a female votary is seen blowing a conch-shell 
or triton before an altar of the usual Mycenaean shape. 
Above the altar is seen a group of three trees, apparently 
cypresses, and immediately in front of them the ‘horns of 
consecration. To the right of the altar is a rayed symbol, 
to the left is apparently another altar base, with a conical 
11 Jbtd.s p. 365, quoting A. Issel, ‘‘ Revista Ligure di Scienze, 
Lettere ed Arti,” Genova, 1908, p. 19. 
‘2 Verhand, Berlin. Gess. Anthrop. Ethnol. und Urges., 1898, p. 485. 
*S Von Martens, of. c7f., p. 485, quoting Boswell, ‘‘ Description of 
Corsica,” 1768, p. 183. 
14 A. J. Evans, Journ. Hellenic Studies, Xxi., 1901, p. 142. 
EeySee chaprer i: 
16 TL. Mariani, ‘* Monumenti Antict,” vi., 1895, p. 178, f. 12. 
DIAGN. Evans.) CD: cere, Ps 14251. 25. 
