The "scales" on a turtle's shell are called "scutes." Scutes are made of keratin (like our fingernails) and protect the bony plates of the shell from infection and injury. : r/TurtleFacts
Tortoise box 18th century possibly British The 18th century box exhibits a great curiosity for the Exotic. Objects made of tortoise shell are relatively common, but a complete shell of a tortoise
Ask the Aquarium — "What is a turtle's shell made of?" - YouTube
Examples of ethnographically recorded organic containers: Six... | Download Scientific Diagram