Seashells as Symbols

I found this article about an installation of mesoamerican artifacts, all containing seashells. I thought it was interesting because it led me to think about the symbolic signifigance of using shells in an artwork, which will be an important part of my research (I don't want to make a fluffy piece of art)! In Aztec culture, seashells were significant in both material and spiritual life, as decorative and symbolic ornamentation, for religious purposes, as well as for basic utilitarian needs.

Here is a painting by Salvador Dali that uses seashells as symbols. It's called "the Average Bureaucrat.":