Existing comment:
Mullu
Mullu -- shells of the thorny oyster (Spondylus princeps) -- were sacred objects, symbolizing water and fertility. They are found only off the northern coast of Chinchaysuyu. The abundance or scarcity of mullu was a predictor of weather for the next 12 months. In times of drought, priests offered mullu to deities to ask for rain.
Mullu were found at depths of 50 meters (165 feet). Obtaining these shells was difficult and dangerous, which made them rare and valuable. |