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The scallop shell is an iconic symbol of the Camino de Santiago and the act of pilgrimage. Put that familiar shell on your backpack, and you’ll likely have fellow pilgrims from all over the world recognize it and approach you everywhere you go, even long after you’ve ended your journey.
As one of the most iconic symbols of pilgrimage, there are many interesting facts (and some folklore) surrounding the scallop shell and The Way of Saint James. Let’s look at the history of the shell and the frequently asked questions that you’ll have about the shell and your walk on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.
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What is the Camino de Santiago shell?
The Camino de Santiago shell is a scallop, often painted with a red cross, that pilgrims wear on their backpacks to symbolize their status as pilgrims. The same scallop shell represents all of the routes leading to Santiago de Compostela.
What’s the history of the shell and the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage?
Unlike modern pilgrims, many of whom purchase their shell at the beginning of their Camino, medieval pilgrims had to arrive at their destination in order to have a scallop shell bestowed upon them. It served as a badge that gave them protective status.
Medieval pilgrims faced constant danger on their journeys from their homes to whichever holy place they were visiting. You can get a deeper insight into the life of a pilgrim by reading this Medieval pilgrim prayer:
Oh Lord let angels watch over your servants and keep them safe from enemies attacking them on the road or any evil on the journey. Protect them from the dangers of fast rivers, thieves & wild beasts.
As a form of protection, the punishment for harming a pilgrim was greater than harming an average citizen, but this protection was only granted to those who were successful on their journey. Can you imagine having to walk all the way back home after your Camino?!
The shells are rumored to have also had a practical purpose, like serving as a replacement for a bowl or spoon. The same is true of the shell lines representing all of the different pilgrimage routes.
Where The Shells Originated: Matosinhos, Portugal
“The scallop shell has its origin, according to tradition, in the extensive sandy beaches of Leça and Matosinhos.” This message reads on a plaque in Matosinhos, located outside of Porto. You can read the entire plaque below.
Saint James And The Scallop Shell
A scallop shell has long been associated with Saint James. Some legends say that his body washed ashore, undamaged, covered in scallops before reaching its final resting place in Santiago de Compostela. Many varied legends cite scallops as the source of other miracles.
The link between scallop shells and the Camino de Santiago is still palpable today, and traces can be seen in many European languages:
- Romanian: Scoică Saint Jacques (shell Saint James)
- French: Coquille Saint Jacques (shell Saint James)
- German: Jakobsmuschelschale (James mussels)
- Catalan: Petxina de pelegrí (pilgrim’s shell)
- Dutch: Jacobsschelp (James’ shell)
Want to know more about the Portuguese Camino? Learn about the routes and cultural highlights here!
Which Camino routes does the shell represent?
There are many different routes pilgrims travel to arrive at the St. James Cathedral. The scallop shells represent all of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela routes, including but not limited to:
- Camino Francés
- Portuguese Camino (Coastal Route, Central Route, Litoral Route, and Spiritual Variant)
- Camino del Norte
- Camino Primitivo
- Via de la Plata
The Camino generally ends in Santiago de Compostela, but some pilgrims continue on to the Spanish coast to Fisterra (Cape Finisterre) on the Costa da Morte. This is a four-day extension of your walk.
Where can you buy the Camino Portugués shell?
Historically, you could only earn your shell by completing your pilgrimage. Now, you’re able to have a safe a buen camino without the constant fear of attack like pilgrims of the Middle Ages!
You can simply buy the pilgrim’s scallop shell in three different places:
- Starting point. Most pilgrims begin their journeys at a specific pilgrim office or cathedral where they purchase their credentials (pilgrim passport). Shells are typically for sale alongside the passports.
- Buy a shell on the Camino. Souvenir shops and points of tourist information along the way sell shell souvenirs.
- Santiago de Compostela. Forget the local cheese and beer – scallop shells are probably the #1 export from Santiago de Compostela. You can get a shell in any number of shapes and sizes at the endless rows of souvenir shops lining the streets to Santiago Cathedral.
Shells are popular gifts for pilgrims. Get a list of useful gift ideas in my guide: 27 Camino Gift Ideas.
Do you need to buy a shell before you go on your Camino?
No, a scallop shell isn’t necessary for you to walk the Camino de Santiago. No marauders will steal your silver pieces if you choose not to wear one! Many pilgrims choose to wear one but you won’t stand out if you abstain.
Is the scallop shell important for accessing albergues?
You’ll hear people say that your shell is your “pilgrim badge,” and they’re not wrong! But this is a metaphor and not enough to grant you access to pilgrim-only places. Despite the self-identification that comes with donning a shell, you’ll still need physical proof that you’re walking the Camino de Santiago as a pilgrim, and that comes from your pilgrim passport.
More Things To Know
Should you choose to walk The Way, you’ll see more shells in those few weeks or days than you’ve seen in your whole life. Here are some other fun things to know.
Shells For Wayfinding
Shells aren’t just a symbol or trinket on The Way – they guide pilgrims all the way to Santiago de Compostela. You’ll see these three primary symbols used for wayfinding to keep pilgrims on the right path:
- Scallop shells
- Pilgrim art
- Yellow arrows
Important note: The scallop shell markers are pretty reliable, but in cities they can sometimes disappear. It’s good to have some phone data or a map downloaded as a backup plan for these moments.
And another warning: Some people say that the scallop’s longest line points the way, but this isn’t actually true (as evidenced by the concrete marker below).
Scallop Art Along The Way
Once your eye has been tuned into the shell symbol by the wayfinding signs, you’ll start to see it everywhere: people’s homes, stained glass windows, and church door frames. Many historic towns have embraced the symbol just as pilgrims do.
Some of the references to shells along the Camino are beautiful and heartwarming. Other references are funny, like the “pilgrim meals” that sometimes included scallops (pilgrim meals are supposed to be cheap, but scallops aren’t exactly a budget meal), or a scallop shell scoop of ice cream.
Similarly, when you cross over from Portugal to Spain, you’ll notice that there are instantly more relics of Saint James. The references to Saint James, and the shell, increase the closer you get to Santiago de Compostela.
When you return home, you may even notice scallops at home pointing the way to Santiago de Compostela. I’ve now spotted these waymarkers in several cities across Europe. Here’s a sign in Italy that I saw on my pilgrimage to Rome:
Do pilgrims drink wine from their scallop shells?
Do pilgrims joyfully sip wine from their shells to celebrate arriving at St. James together? I heard a rumor that all pilgrims who reach Santiago de Compostela do this together to toast the end of a long journey.
I though they did, but alas we were the only ones in sight with a bottle (well truthfully, a $3 carton) of wine. Not only did I not need the wine, but the carton spilled and stained part of my backpack!
If this tradition is indeed alive, then it’s certainly not celebrated by everyone. I sat outside the cathedral for over an hour watching pilgrims pour onto the square and didn’t see a single person drinking wine.
Buen Camino!
The scallop shell and the yellow arrow are the most iconic symbols of the Camino de Santiago, and they’re something that will put a smile on your face for years to come.
If you can remember that the scallop is called coquille saint Jacques in French, this knowledge may also come in handy at a future trivia night.
Whether you see the scallop shell as an ancient link to pilgrims in the middle ages or just a beautiful icon of your journey, it’s something you’ll certainly never forget after walking trails leading to the tomb of Saint James.
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