The Oyster Union House, Blackstone Block, built in 1714, one of Boston's oldest surviving streets, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Black pearl, Praslin Island, Republic of Seychelles, Indian Ocean, Africa

Ready to eat seafood platter at Le Petit Zinc Restaurant near Boulevard Saint Germain, Left Bank, Paris, France

Pointe du Chapus, Le Chapus, oyster-culture, Fort Louvois, dept Charente-Maritime, Charente-VendÈe, France, Europe

Haus der Kulturen der Welt, HKW, House of World Cultures, with bronze sculpture "Large Divided Oval: Butterfly" by Henry Moore, former Berlin Congress Hall, the "pregnant oyster", built for the Internationale Bauausstellung Interbau 1957 International Bui

Oyster beds in the bay of Morlaix, Brittany, France

Fresh oysters for sale at a market in Beyoglu, Instanbul, Turkey, Instanbul, Turkey

Man using a knife to disconnect an oyster Bouzigues, Etang de Thau, France

Bag of oysters from Bouzigues, Etang de Thau, France

Oyster of Bouzigues in the hand of an oyster farmer, Etang de Thau, France

Establishment of oyster spat at an oyster farmer Etang de Thau, France

Oyster spat at an oyster farmer, Etang de Thau, France

Oyster spat at an oyster farmer, Etang de Thau, France

Oysterman carrying a bag of oysters, Etang de Thau, France