Common Conch Shells (C)
Conch shells are primarily divided into two types based on their spiral direction (known as chirality): dextral (right-handed) and sinistral (left-handed).

A common conch (when used colloquially to describe Whelks, Pugilina, and other false conches) is defined as any medium-to-large, heavy-shelled sea snail that resembles a true conch but is biologically a carnivorous or scavenging whelk belonging to families like Melongenidae or Buccinidae.

The Conch shell is a spiritual symbol that has been used in many cultures throughout history. Together with the circle and the spiral, it is perhaps one of the oldest symbols used for esoteric wisdom. Used for practical purposes as a horn in ancient times, it is typically associated with the sound used to wake people up. The ancients adapted the practical use to associate the conch shell with spiritual awakening in symbolism. In ancient Sanskrit, the conch is known as Shankha meaning “a shell holding the sacred water.” Vedic myth says the conch appeared from the water after the great churning of the ocean.