More Than a Shell: The History of Dentalium
- Kiana Kona
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
Updated: 9 hours ago
Dentalium shells have always been one of those materials I’m drawn to, not just for how they look, but for everything they carry with them.They are small, naturally formed tubular shells that come from the ocean. Simple in shape, but deeply layered in meaning.
For many Indigenous people along the Pacific Northwest Coast, dentalium shells have long held cultural, spiritual, and economic significance. They were once widely used as a form of currency, traded between coastal and inland nations. Their value was often based on length, uniformity, and quality. The longer and more perfect the shell, the more it was worth.
Beyond trade, they were also a symbol of wealth, connection, and status, woven into relationships between families and communities through gifting, ceremony, and exchange.
Within Coast Salish communities, including my own as a member of the Tulalip Tribes, dentalium shells continue to hold cultural importance. They have been used in regalia, jewelry, and ceremonial wear for generations. They are quite special in the way they move, the way they catch light, and even the soft sound they make.
When I work with dentalium shells in my jewelry, I carry that understanding with me. It’s not just about design, it’s about connection to water, to trade routes, to family histories, and to the teachings that continue to be passed down.
I often pair dentalium with other natural materials like cedar and fish skin, because they all speak to the same relationship between land, water, and care. Nothing exists on its own and everything is part of a larger story.
Using dentalium today feels like a continuation of something much older than me. A reminder that even the smallest materials can hold generations of meaning, and that those meanings are still very much alive in the work we create today.
Here is my Dentalium Dreaming Collection below. Each piece was created in honor of these stories and the beauty carried within them. While some are currently sold out, I continue to work with dentalium shells in my jewelry practice, so you’ll see them woven into my newest pieces.
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