Spondylus gaederopus Linné is a large and durable marine bivalve, and Neolithic people in Europe used to make various shell objects, especially ornaments like bracelets, pendants and beads, from this species. Spondylus shells and shell objects were transported from the eastern Mediterranean far into inland Europe, and they are one of the most spectacular indicators of large scale trade in Neolithic Europe. In order to discuss Spondylus trade, the study of Spondylus shells and shell objects in the Aegean region, which is now assumed to have been the principal resource area, is indispensable. But the study in this region has just begun. In this article, the author begins with an analysis of the shell assemblage found in the new excavations at Dimini, then refers to the Spondylus shell objects of the other Greek Neolithic sites. Trade routes are also discussed.
The main characteristics of Spondylus in the shell assemblage of Dimini are as follows; 1. Spondylus shell objects form a high percentage of the entire shell object assemblage, compared with a relatively low percentage in the entire shell assemblage (Fig. 3); 2. There is a high percentage of shell objects within this species despite its relatively large quantity (Fig. 4). A lot of unfinished Spondylus shell objects are included in the samples; 3. The production technique for making Spondylus shell objects is quite sophisticated, and a variety of object types are produced from Spondylus shells; 4. Significant accumulations of Spondylus shell objects are recognized in two find spots of the settlement, and these spots are workshops for Spondylus shell objects (Fig. 5). These characteristics indicate the special position of Spondylus in the shell assemblage, and prove that large scale manufacture of Spondylus shell objects took place within the settlement of Dimini. The important part which the manufacture of Spondylus shell objects played in the society of Dimini is also recognized.
Now it is clear that there were at least two principal manufacturing and transporting centers of Spondylus shells and shell objects in Neolithic Greece. One was eastern Macedonia as has already been proved, and the other was south-eastern Thessaly, which included the settlement of Dimini. Based on the comparative studies among the Spondylus shell objects in Greek Neolithic sites and their geographical distributions, it is supposed that the Spondylus shells and shell objects of the former center were transported into eastern Balkan and those of the latter center were transported into western Balkan through central Thessaly and western Macedonia.

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