The emblem of St James is the cockleshell. The story is told that when Saint James' remains were taken by boat to Spain, a man was riding his horse on the beach. The horse saw the boat and plunged into the sea, with its rider, making for the boat. They sank but then rose again, covered with scallop shells.

The scallop edged shell is used to line the way on the Camino de Santiago roads. It was used to take water for drinking from streams on the way. The other thing that you could pick up along the way is the stick. Thousands of pilgrims complete the Camino every year and find the stick very useful.

James was the brother of John and a son of Zebedee. He traditionally preached in Spain after working in Jerusalem. James was beheaded by Herod Agrippa. He is the only apostle whose death is recorded in scripture (Acts 12:2). His shield shows a scallop (or cockle) shell, a symbol of pilgrimage by sea, and the sword of martyrdom. Sometimes three shells are shown without a sword.