Tritia gibbosula

Tritia gibbosula, commonly known as the swollen nassa, is a species of marine gastropod mollusc in the family Nassariidae. Its shell measures between 15 mm and 20 mm in length, with a thick, smooth, ovate shape that is somewhat gibbous on the body whorl and flattened on the sides. The spire is short and acute, comprising five or six whorls. The aperture is ovate, smooth, and white, while the interior cavity is brown. The outer lip is margined externally and smooth internally, joining a large polished callosity that covers the columella and inferior surface of the whorls. The shell's color ranges from olive to brown fawn with ash tones, often featuring spots or undulated lines, and sometimes one or two transverse brown bands on the body whorl. The edge of the callosity is typically orange in color. This species is found in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, specifically off the coasts of Greece, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. Tritia gibbosula is notable for its role in prehistory as a material used for ancient jewelry. The oldest known beads, made from this species' shells, were discovered at Skhul in Israel and date back to between 100,000 and 135,000 years ago. Similar ornaments, including those from Nassarius kraussianus and Glycymeris nummaria, have been found at Middle Paleolithic sites, suggesting that early anatomically modern humans were more culturally advanced than previously thought. Some shells used for beads were transported significant distances, such as the example from Oued Djebbana in Algeria, which is over 190 km ...