Table 1 Mollusks used in Candomble temples, including uses, symbolism, and liturgy.
From: Mollusks of Candomblé: symbolic and ritualistic importance
Family/Species | Name(s) | Geographic range | Uses | Number of mentions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CG | CA | ||||
Achatinidae | |||||
Achatina fulica (Ferussac, 1821) | Ibi, Igbin, Boi-de-Oxalá | Native to East Africa, introduced into other countries, including Brazil | Sacrificial offerings to Oxalá | -- | 6 |
Cassidae | |||||
Cassis tuberosa (Linnaeus, 1758) | --- | North Carolina, Caribbean and Brazil | Used ornamentally on the shell game table used by the temple priest during consultation; ornamental use for Oxumarê's altar | -- | 2 |
Cerithiidae | - | ||||
Cerithium eburneum Bruguière, 1792 | --- | Southeastern Florida and West Indies to Brazil | Present on the divination table of a Yoruba nation babalorixá | -- | 1 |
Cypraeidae | |||||
Monetaria annulus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Búzio | Indo-Pacific | Used in shell game; ornaments used in altars and liturgical objects | 2 | 8 |
Erosaria caputserpentis (Linnaeus, 1758) | Búzio-africano | Indo-Pacific | Used in shell game; ornaments used in altars and liturgical objects | 1 | 8 |
Monetaria moneta Linnaeus, 1758 | Búzio | Indo-Pacific | Used in shell game; ornaments used in altars and liturgical objects | 2 | 8 |
Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, 1758 | --- | Indo-Pacific | Symbolizes the "odus"(sacred oral text) for a Yoruba nation temple priest | -- | 1 |
Macrocypraea zebra (Linnaeus, 1758) | --- | North Carolina to Yucatan, West Indies to Brazil | Present on the divination table of a Yoruba nation temple priest | -- | 1 |
Luria cinerea (Gmelin, 1791 | --- | North Carolina to Yucatan, West Indies to Brazil | Present on the divination table of a Yoruba nation temple priest | -- | 1 |
Muricidae | |||||
Stramonita rustica (Lamarck, 1822) | --- | Florida to Brazil | Present on the divination table of a Yoruba nation temple priest | -- | 1 |
Neritidae | |||||
Nerita fulgurans | --- | Southeastern United States to Brazil | Present on the divination table of a Yoruba nation temple priest | -- | 1 |
Ostreidae | |||||
Crassostrea rhizophorae (Guilding, 1828) | Ostra | Caribbean to Brazil | Offering to Iemanjá | 1 | --- |
Pectinidae | |||||
Euvola ziczac (Linnaeus, 1758) | --- | North Carolina to Brazil | Ornament for an Oxum liturgical object | -- | 1 |
Ranellidae | |||||
Cymatium raderi D'Attilio & Myers, 1984 | --- | Honduras, Tobago Is., and Brazil | Ornament for Oxumarê's altar | -- | 1 |
Charonia variegata (Lamarck, 1816) | --- | North Carolina to Brazil, Cape Verde, Ascension and Sta. Helena Island | Table ornament where a temple priest consults using the shell game | -- | 1 |
Spondylidae | |||||
Spondylus americanus Hermann, 1781 | --- | North Carolina to Brazil | Altar ornament for Yemanjá | -- | 1 |
Strombidae | |||||
Eustrombus goliath (Schröter, 1805) | --- | Northeastern and Southeastern Brazil | Table ornament where a temple priest consults using the shell game; altar ornament for Yemanjá | -- | 1 |
Turbinidae | |||||
Lithopoma tectum (Lightfoot, 1786) | --- | Campeche to Brazil | Present on the divination table of a Yoruba nation temple priest | -- | 1 |
Veneridae | |||||
Anomalocardia brasiliana (Gmelin, 1791) | --- | West Indies to Brazil | Present on the divination table of a Yoruba nation temple priest | -- | 1 |