Thorny oyster shells of the genus Spondylus, harvested from warm Pacific waters off the coast of modern Ecuador, were carried inland and southward to early Andean communities in modern Peru, where they appear in ceremonial and burial contexts far from the coast. Because the shells required diving in specific warm-water zones, their presence at inland sites signals exchange over long distances well before the rise of later Andean states. Archaeologists working across the Peruvian highlands and coast treat Spondylus as one of the clearest markers of early Andean exchange.
Relevance to Trade History
Spondylus exchange became one of the longest-lasting trade patterns in the Americas, with roots in this early period and continuing importance for later Andean civilizations.
Read the full story in our article How Early Communities Exchanged Goods Before Currency.
Source: Smithsonian Institution. See our Sources & Methodology page for how we select and verify references.