Sea Turtle Shell Replica, Hand Cast Plaster Wall Hanging

A Sea Turtle Shell Cast in Plaster

The sea turtle shell is the largest of the four, broad and gently curved. It is hand cast in plaster. It measures 13 in L x 12 in W x 4 in H. It has hooks on the back. Studio White is a clean plaster white and Fossil is a weathered stone tone. Sepia is named for cuttlefish ink, and Obsidian is a deep dark tone.

Product Details

• Material: Hand cast plaster
• Finish: Studio White, Fossil, Sepia or Obsidian
• Dimensions: 13 in L x 12 in W x 4 in H
• Weight: 2 lb
• Package dimensions: 16 in x 16 in x 8 in
• Production: Made to order in the USA, ready to ship in 2 to 3 weeks
• Note: Hand cast, so appearance may vary from piece to piece
• Product number: HP44280SW (Studio White), HP44280FOS (Fossil), HP44280SEP (Sepia), HP44280OB (Obsidian)

A Turtle's Shell as Defense and Symbol

A turtle's shell is its greatest defense and potentially its greatest vulnerability. In many cultures it is a symbol of strength and protection.

In Chinese cosmology the Black Tortoise guards the north, a creature of endurance and protection.

A turtle shell wall hanging at this size can anchor a wall. This plaster turtle shell has hooks on the back, so it needs no frame. As coastal wall decor, the sea turtle shell leads a group of the four turtle shells.

Bringing Nature Indoors

Naturalists once packed specimens from every coast and carried them home to be catalogued. Early botanists did the same with plants. Displaying a sea turtle shell is a quiet descendant of that practice. Browse more casts in our Wall Hangings collection.

Made to Order

Each piece is cast to order in the USA. Production takes 2 to 3 weeks before it ships. Hand casting means color and surface vary slightly from piece to piece. Choose Studio White, Fossil, Sepia or Obsidian at checkout.

Placement and Care

Hooks on the back let it hang from a wall screw. Use an anchor rated for the weight of the piece. Dust it with a soft dry brush and keep it indoors.

About Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander

Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander sailed on HMS Endeavour from 1768 to 1771. Together they collected about 30,000 specimens. Around 1,300 of those were species new to Western science. Solander, a student of Carl Linnaeus, wrote notes on slips of paper that the Natural History Museum still holds.

Solander had mastered the two-part Latin naming system that Linnaeus taught. The system lets naturalists in different countries use the same name for the same animal or plant.

For More Reading from the Web

• Follow Daniel Solander and Joseph Banks as they sorted thousands of specimens on a three-year voyage: Daniel Solander: a Linnaean disciple on HMS Endeavour - Natural History Museum
• Albertus Seba, George Perry and the naturalists who catalogued shells, plants and animals from around the world: Natural Curiosities - The Metropolitan Museum of Art