St James one of Jesus’ twelve apostles died about AD 44, perhaps the first Christian martyr. Tradition says his remains were taken by boat and buried in northern Spain – in Santiago de Compestella. A Cathedral was built on the site which became a major destination for pilgrims – which it remains today. Scallop shells are commonly found on the seashore in the area. Because of some reputed miracles, they became a symbol of pilgrimage to St James’ remains. There were different routes for the pilgrimage, but the minimum walk was of 60 miles. People who completed it would acquire a scallop shell as a token. During the archaeological dig four scallop shells were found. The first one found was not with any particular burial – perhaps the actual burial had been disturbed during preparations for a later burial. The picture shows this scallop shell. The two holes drilled in the shell allowed it to be sewn onto a garment. These finds show that people from Aberdeen were making that pilgrimage to Santiago de Compestella more than 500 years ago. Quite an undertaking!
