Two Tocharian B manuscripts, PK AS 3B and IOL Toch 306, contain an ingredient läksañña klautso, lit. “fish ear”, that, in earlier editions and translations, has been interpreted as “(fish) gill”. However, no concrete evidence has been brought forward to interpret “fish ears” in this context as “gills”, nor is there convincing evidence for the use of “gills” in (traditional) medicine for the dermatological and gastrointestinal conditions described in these manuscripts. By examining the term for “shell” in Nakh-Dagestanian languages (e.g. Avar ччугlигlин /č:uʕiʕin/, lit. “fish ear”) and highlighting metaphorical associations of related words, e.g. German Ohrmuschel “auricle”, we argue that läksañña klautso refers to shells and conches rather than gills. Additionally, we provide instances of the use of conches and shells in Āyurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine to support our claim. Accordingly, we suggest that “ground shell (powder)” is the ingredient listed in these two remedies.
