From prehistoric times, man has used shells for tools. This practice has been born out by archaeological findings in ancient sites and still carries on even today. Storage containers for such things as perfumes, ointments and medicines were made from some of the larger bivalves and univalves such as the Nautilus.
Oil lamps made from shells are a frequent find throughout the Middle East.
They work by holding oil while the wick floats on the surface. Farming tools shovels, plow blades and hoes for tilling the soil were made from hard, sharpened shell pieces. Adze, knife and axe blades were made from shells with sharpened edges.