64 S//l//s as evidence of the Afii^raiioiis. 



in the middle of the 6th century A.D., and in due course 

 took the Shinto gods into its system, just as it had already 

 absorbed the numerous deities of Brahmanism. 



Returning to America we find some further evidences 

 of the prevalence of the '' Shell-God " idea. Lovell"'" 

 informs us that " Dr. Troost, in an account of some 

 ancient remains discovered by him in Tennessee, mentions 

 the finding of a large conch shell {Cassis Jlammea), with 

 the interior whorls and columella removed, so that nothing 

 remained but the exterior portion of the shell, which was 

 open in front, and in it was placed a rudel}- shaped idol, 

 in the form of a kneeling human figure, made of cla\' with 

 pounded shells. It was ploughed up in the Sequatchy 

 Valley." 



Long, in his " E.xpedition from Pittsburgh to the Rocky 

 Mountains," 1823,"'' tells us that the Omahas possessed a 

 sacred shell which they transmitted from generation to 

 generation. Its origin was quite unknown. A skin lodge was 

 built for it, and a man appointed as guardian, who resided 

 in the lodge. It was placed on a stand and never allowed 

 to touch the earth, and was concealed from sight by a 

 number of mats made of skins plaited. The whole formed 

 a large package, from which tobacco, roots of trees, and 

 other objects \\ere suspended. No one dared to open all 

 these coverings in order to see the shell, for if they 

 attempted to look upon it they were struck with instant 

 and total loss of sight. The sacred shell was taken by 

 the Indians on all their national hunts, and was also 

 consulted as an oracle before any expedition was made 

 against an enemj-. The medicine men seated themselves 

 round the sacred lodge, the lov\'er part of which was 



• ' » Lovell, " Edible Briiish MoUusca," 1S84, pp. 198-9, quoting Trans. 

 .-iiiii:r. Ethiiol. Soc, vol. i., pp. 360-1 ; vol. iii., pp. 360 & 364. 



^ ' ' As quoted in ' ■ Flint Chips," by E. T. Stevens, pp. 4<)S-449. 



