SpaceWhale ® & Company

Unique Tribal artisan Papuan shell and Short-beaked Echidna quills necklace on a custom metal stand. It will make a talking point decoration object in any cabinet of curiosities adding visual interest and organic appeal with a stunning display of natural textures. This unique necklace is made of seashells, echidna quills, seeds and fibres and could also be worn. Seashells are part of the rich Papua New Guinea culture. Seashells were once used as currency, and are still fashioned into a ceremonial dress.

The echidnas are named after Echidna, a creature from Greek mythology who was half-woman, half-snake, as the animal was perceived to have qualities of both mammals and reptiles. Echidnas, sometimes known as spiny anteaters are egg-laying mammals. The four species of echidnas and the platypus are the only living mammals that lay eggs and the only surviving members of the order Monotremata. The diet of some species consists of ants and termites, but they are not closely related to the true anteaters of the Americas, which are xenarthrans, along with sloths and armadillos. Echidnas live in Australia and New Guinea.

Echidnas evolved between 20 and 50 million years ago, descending from a platypus-like monotreme. This ancestor was aquatic, but echidnas adapted to life on land. Echidnas lose their spinny quills naturally and they have always been gathered by the peoples of Papua New Guinea to be incorporated into their elaborate tribal art pieces.

The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List of Threatened Species classifies echidnas as “Least concerned” hence not special CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) permit is NOT required to buy, sell or own this piece.