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Heart and Soul: Song Of The Scallop

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23/05/2009

Song Of The Scallop

BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, Song Of The Scallop

Song of the Scallop considers the history and mythology of the humble mollusc.

Personal approaches to religious belief from around the world. Song of the Scallop considers the history and mythology of the humble mollusc.

Song of the Scallop

Song of the Scallop considers the history and mythology of the humble mollusc.  

As a global food-source and as a religious symbol, the significance of scallops transcends the ash trays and soap dishes that they are often turned into.   

The route of the 9th century Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage - or Way of St James - in north west Spain is marked by scallop shells and each pilgrim carries a shell for good luck.  

We join two pilgrims - Jim, a fisherman, and his wife Margaret - who are travelling this Galician route.  

Their testimony is woven together with the experiences of scallop divers in Scotland and the artist Maggi Hambling, who made a scallop sculpture for the beach at Aldeburgh.   

The meaning and symbolism - the culinary and religious significance - of the scallop is celebrated as the pilgrims make the long walk to a final dinner on arrival in Santiago de Compostela.

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