One of the most popular shells used in Native American Jewelry is Spiny Oyster Shell.

Spiny Oyster shells are found in the Sea of Cortez, off the coast of the Baja Mexico and Baja California. Spiny Oysters are covered with menacing spines. They are prized for their great colors...orange, red, purple and yellow.

Native American artists have been using these shells for jewelry and adornment for centuries. Artifacts containing spiny oyster shells have been found in several archaeological sites from the Anasazi, Mogollon and Hohokam civilizations.