Rock Snail

Rock snails are a common sight in the shallows of the Eastern Archipelago and the shores of Grand Tescary. Named so for their tendency to cling to underwater rocks in the shallows, rock snails are shell-growing, water-breathing snails that are usually carnivorous, preying on other molluscs or barnacles. Some species of rock snail exude an ink as a defensive measure and to sedate their prey, and this ink is harvested by the Tescarana to produce dye. Different species of rock snail can be identified by the shapes and coloration of their shells. These dye producing snails are known as "murex".

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Rock snails are harvested by the Tescarana to extract their ink to make dye, and for eating. Generally the latter is a side effect of the former, as snail harvesters set out into the shallows to scrape snails off the underwater rocks. Separating the precious murex snails from the less valuable "food snails", the murex snails are placed into saltwater filled barrels to preserve them. Often these barrels are covered with nets and floated behind the boat to make transporting them less cumbersome. The food snails are removed from the water and placed into baskets. Once the harvesters return, the food snails are removed from their shells, cooked, and eaten. The murex snails are moved into saltwater filled pits that are then covered with nets to keep them from escaping. The snails are fed by dumping other molluscs into the pit, and periodically removed and poked with sticks to provoke them into releasing their dye. This dye in stored in clay jars, and these jars are often the most valuable items in a settlement due to the amount of snails and work it takes to produce even small amounts of the dye. A prestigious color, the purple dye has been a precious trade commodity and even a sort of currency for those clans with access to large amounts of rock snails. Considered the color of royalty in many cultures, the Condominium originally came to the Tescaries to buy murex dye and export it further abroad. Exceptionally stable, once a garment is dyed with murex ink, the color will stay essentially forever. Though more dye can be extracted from a crushed snail than by agitating it with a stick, the Tescarana prefer to farm the snails to avoid depletion of the snail stocks. Some clans will even breed generations of snails in captivity to continue to harvest their ink. The intact shells of snails are often also used, as the nacre makes for a durable decorative substance and is a popular material for jewelry.

Geographic Distribution