Can be pink, yellow, purple and white. Traditionally these shells contain a specific meaning … Found in the islands of the Indian Ocean, the … But when the French prohibited the use of the shells as money around 1907, the elders resisted, refusing to include the new money in their hoards or to use it in ceremonies instead of the cowrie. Colonizers had a particularly hard time getting the African people to accept new, more centralized forms of currency. Trading on a large scale was the specialty of a few groups: the Hausa, the Dyula and the Yarse, especially. “The skyrocketing cowry prices are now a scandal. Cowrie shells were among the devices used for divination by the Kaniyar Panicker astrologers of Kerala, India. Much of the trade the villagers, themselves, did was in the form of barter, and involved no money: a sack of peanuts in exchange for a cooking pot, a hoe for a nice basket. I give Cultures of West Africa permission to use the e-mail address above. The shell is a mixture beige, tan and bands of cream. CLICK ON EACH PHOTO . The cowrie was the shell most widely used worldwide as shell money. They were often threaded into bracelets or long strings of forty, or packed into pouches to form greater quantities. Click on any of the seashell identification photos for information about each shell, where they were found, who found these shells and so much more. Its shape makes it instantly recognizable and difficult to forge. For the most part it was a lot more intensive looking for shells on O’aho than on other beaches but we ended up with a lot of nice small shells … [5] Words and characters concerning money, property or wealth usually have this as a radical. It conserved its status as a means of payment, and a symbol of wealth and power, until the 20th century. Caravans of Arab traders were probably the first to introduce the cowrie shell into West Africa, possibly as early as the 8th century. … … ( eqroy/ Ado… Most commonly cowrie shells are found in the Indian Ocean. The term porcelain derives from the old Italian term for the cowrie shell (porcellana) due to their similar appearance. Cowries no longer serve as currency in West Africa, but traces remain of their history as a form of money. [citation needed], The Ojibway aboriginal people in North America use cowrie shells which are called sacred Miigis Shells or whiteshells in Midewiwin ceremonies, and the Whiteshell Provincial Park in Manitoba, Canada is named after this type of shell. In Ghana, the national currency is the cedi, which is the Akan (Twi) word for “cowrie”. Cowry shells are found in all tropical and warm waters, with six species living in the Caribbean, five in the southeast, and eight in western tropical waters. The Hawaiian Islands sit on the northeastern edge of the Indo-Pacific realm and are separated by long distances from other tropical islands to the west and south. By the 15th century the shells circulated as money, especially in the Empire of Mali. The cowrie’s elegant shape represents the female form, its rounded top reminiscent of a pregnant woman’s belly. Cowrie shells were used as a form of currency in Africa. Many communities across western Africa and beyond use these shells as divination tools. Due to it’s peculiar form the cowry … In Mende culture, cowrie shells are viewed as symbols of womanhood, fertility, birth and wealth. In Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, people still occasionally give alms to the poor in the form of cowries, either alone, or mixed  with coins. The goods that the villagers produced — excess grain, honey from beekeeping, cloth, forged metals, etc — were sold and the proceeds stored in common funds as obligatory contributions. There are about 200 different species of cowry. Between 1899 and 1902, half of the taxes came in the form of cowries and other currencies. In the same festival these shells are also worshiped as a symbol of Goddess Lakshmi and wealth. They engaged in bulk commodity barter that eventually ended up in long-distance trade, with cowries. For one thing, the West Africans, accustomed to multiple currencies coexisting on the markets, had no problem with the idea of just adding one more. The Smithsonian Natural History Museum's invertebrate zoology collection includes about 50,000 cowrie shells. The coin for 20 cedi featured the image of the beloved shell in 1991. A number of shells (6 or 7 in Pachisi) are thrown, with those landing aperture upwards indicating the actual number rolled. In Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, it is called dilogun. In Brazil, it is … As the Hausa say: “Whoever is patient with a cowrie shell will one day have thousands of them”. Cowries (esp. Some use the cowries in conjunction with — or instead of — other tools like bone fragments or kola nuts. [6], In certain parts of Africa, cowries were prized charms, and they were said to be associated with fecundity, sexual pleasure and good luck. Cowrie shells, to be used as shell money, are collected and laid out to dry. But it is only with the Portuguese, French, British and Dutch that Africa found itself under an avalanche of these shells. The harvesting and processing of the cowries differed according to region. The humped, thick shell is beautifully coloured (often speckled) and glossy; the apertural lips, which open into the first whorl in the shell… Français Found in the islands of the Indian Ocean, the cowrie shell soon gained popularity throughout much of ancient Africa. Caravans of Arab traders were probably the first to introduce the cowrie shell into West Africa, possibly as early as the 8th century. [8] Its underside is supposed, by one modern ethnographic author, to represent a vulva or an eye. People across West Africa may still pay for ritual services using the little white shells. They also have great spiritual significance and have used … At Lyman Museum in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii to see Cowrie Squid lures used as fishing sinkers and ornate necklaces made for royalty from tiny Pupu O Ni’ihau shells. “The attachment to the cowry and the refusal to adopt the money of the White man was a way of defending the independence and sovereignty that they possessed before the [colonial] conquest. The Caurica Cyprea Shell is a fairly common cowry, found in the Indo-Pacific Tropical region; primarily around the Indonesian Islands, near and around reefs. By the 15th century the shells circulated as money, especially in the Empire of Mali. It can be an element in traditional medicine and may accompany the dead on their journeys out of this world. Although the cowrie, as currency, lies in West Africa’s past, its symbolic value endures. The Ovulidae and the Triviidae are somewhat closely related to Cypraeidae. [citation needed]. The Yoruba, for example, use sixteen cowries in their Merindinlogun divination to ask the Orisha spirits for advice. The fortune-teller throws or simply drops the cowries onto a typically circular surface, and interprets their positions to tell the future. Browse and enjoy! Found in the Indian Ocean and the Sahara desert… Privacy Policy (function (w,d) {var loader = function () {var s = d.createElement("script"), tag = d.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.src="https://cdn.iubenda.com/iubenda.js"; tag.parentNode.insertBefore(s,tag);}; if(w.addEventListener){w.addEventListener("load", loader, false);}else if(w.attachEvent){w.attachEvent("onload", loader);}else{w.onload = loader;}})(window, document);Cookie Policy (function (w,d) {var loader = function () {var s = d.createElement("script"), tag = d.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.src="https://cdn.iubenda.com/iubenda.js"; tag.parentNode.insertBefore(s,tag);}; if(w.addEventListener){w.addEventListener("load", loader, false);}else if(w.attachEvent){w.attachEvent("onload", loader);}else{w.onload = loader;}})(window, document); Kuiye, the Batammaliba sun and Creator god, is the ultimate …, So prosodic are the primarily tonal languages of West Africa, …, Whether kicking up red Sahelian dust or the sands of …. The cowrie — or cowry — shell was one of the most successful and universal forms of currency in the world. On the Bengalese market e.g. They are found in East Africa from depths of 1 meter to 40 meters. The spire of the shell is not visible in the adult shell of most species, but is visible in juveniles, which have a different shape from the adults. The word cowrie comes from Hindi कौडि (kaudi) and ultimately from Sanskrit कपर्द (kaparda).[2]. Sentimentality for the cowrie, combined with the enormous stocks of shells in the area and the depreciation of the French franc — whereas the cowrie retained its value — contributed to the resistance of West Africans to adopt the new currency until the 1940s. The round side of the shell is called the Dorsal Face, whereas the flat under side is called the Ventral Face, which shows a long, narrow, slit-like opening (aperture), which is often toothed at the edges. The cowrie shell has many uses and meanings. But it is only with the Portuguese, French, British and Dutch that Africa found itself under an avalanche of these shells. Plump, almost circular shell, 2.5cm in length. According to local preferences and agreements, cowry shells could also been packed or stringed to larger unities. 50 strings made 1 head (2,000 cowries total). It has shown up in the form of money, jewelry and religious accessories in almost every part of the world. A print from 1845 shows cowrie shells being used as money by an Arab trader. Many find the shiny, porcelain-like shells pleasing to look at. Lengths range from 5 mm for some species up to 19 cm for the Atlantic deer cowrie, Macrocypraea cervus. The slit on the underside of the shell can look like a black pupil against the pearly white surface, which is why it is often used to ward against the evil eye. In small villages, trade was the elders’ responsibility and privilege. The ever popular cowrie shell has many uses and meanings. — Chant de louanges aux Ibeji, The New York Public Library Digital Collections, decorated with cowries the size of windows, Money in Colonial Transition: Cowries and Francs in West Africa, Tata Somba, Batammaliba Architecture at its Height. They are usually found on reefs but have also been seen on sandy bottoms and in grass beds. Cowrie shell money was important in the trade networks of Africa, South Asia, and East Asia. The Lodagaa of northern Ghana, for instance, believe that the deceased need a fee of twenty cowries to cross the River of Death and reach the land of the dead to the west. But the shell was inconvenient: the cowries were cumbersome to store compared to bank notes and counting large numbers of them was imprecise. After the 1500s, however, it became even more common. These marine snails are commonly found in the coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and therefore were used as currency by the peoples who had access to them. In the British Isles the local Trivia species (family Triviidae, species Trivia monacha and Trivia arctica) are sometimes called cowries. Others simply thought the francs a nuisance and refused to use the coins and notes. They are also worn as jewelry or otherwise used as ornaments or charms, as they are viewed as symbols of womanhood, fertility, birth and wealth. By the 18th century, the cowrie had become the currency of choice along the trade routes of West Africa. [citation needed], Large cowrie shells such as that of a Cypraea tigris have been used in Europe in the recent past as a darning egg over which sock heels were stretched. Although the Maldives was an important cowry money source throughout history, the use of cowry shells as currency, which according to some researchers is the oldest form of currency, originated in ancient China… Some people kept both currencies. Along the Australian Coast they are found on the west coast of Australia, including Lord Howe Island. Cowrie or cowry (plural cowries) is the common name for a group of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. They are popular for craft use, tank decorating and with collectors. It has been used as money in many cultures. Yes! They felt that the demonetization of the cowries was a way to cut them off from a significant symbol of their past and of their culture, in favor of the franc, an anonymous money.”. There is some debate about how the Ojibway traded for or found these shells, so far inland and so far north, very distant from the natural habitat. Vous êtes ceux qui ouvrent les portes au Ciel." The Europeans had seen the fondness that certain African tribes had for the little shells and helped to make them the main currency in the trade of slaves, gold and many other goods. The ebbing tide leaves beautiful treasures behind on the shores of Caithness, one of which is a cowrie shell known locally as the Groatie Buckie. 12.000 shells. English Antiquities of the Native Americans, particularly of the Georgia tribes (1873), Cowrie shells used as dice, showing a roll of 3, "The uses of shells in traditional Tuvaluan handicrafts", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cowrie&oldid=992401760, Articles with dead external links from July 2020, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2016, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from Collier's Encyclopedia, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the Encyclopedia Americana with a Wikisource reference, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. "Vous êtes ceux qui ouvrent les portes sur Terre. The narrower end of the egg-shaped cowrie shell is the anterior end, and the broader end of the shell is called the posterior. Cowrie or cowry (plural cowries) is the common name for a group of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. Elderly men who want to buy them for ritual uses find themselves competing either with those who produce craft items for sale to tourists or with young men who seek cowries to trim costumes that have become popular for stage use. We will never, ever spam you. The attractive white shell has all the characteristics required of money: easy to handle and carry around due to its light weight, non-perishable, good for small and large purchases. The cowrie shell has been a powerful symbol in Africa for thousands of years. This page was last edited on 5 December 2020, at 02:26. The only place we found shells in the Keys was the upper Keys. There are a few islands just north of Elliot Key that have a few shells here and there. Because of this, the Hawaiian fauna is unusual, containing a high proportion of endemic species, those found … Thus it is a symbol of fertility. The benedictive power only enhances the elegance of the shells. Cypraea moneta) were used as a currency in Africa (Ghanaian cedi in Ghana named after cowry shells) and elsewhere, such as in China where the shell or copies of the shell were in theory used as a means of exchange. Elders used the stored cowries to buy necessities like tools, medicine, or cattle for the community. Starting over three thousand years ago, cowrie shells, or copies of the shells, were used as Chinese currency. In Brazil, as a result of the Atlantic slave trade from Africa, cowrie shells (called búzios) are also played as used to consult the Orixás divinities and hear their replies. Ifá and the annual customs of Dahomey of Benin). The cowrie shell has many uses and meanings. Spiritually, according to African legend, if you are attracted to … For large payments, the shells could be tossed into baskets and weighed to determine their value. Western nations, chiefly through the slave trade, introduced huge numbers of Maldivian cowries in Africa. (Eds.). Page, W. F. & Davis Jr., R. H. The cylindrical or oval shells … This unique looking shell is more commonly found on the west coast. We found a spot where SEA BISCUITS … [9], On the Fiji Islands, a shell of the golden cowrie or bulikula, Cypraea aurantium, was drilled at the ends and worn on a string around the neck by chieftains as a badge of rank. The Beck's Cowrie is only found in the bases of slow growing black coral trees. The shells … Cowries are often used as ornamental beads: incorporated into jewelry, worn in the hair, decorating statues and baskets. The shells of cowries are usually smooth and shiny and more or less egg-shaped. Europeans had once used the cowrie eagerly: replacing the shells with European currency would have been very costly. However, these gained tremendous popularity throughout ancient Africa. Cowry shells (or cowrie), are marine snails of the family Cypraeidae.. Small molluscs (or sea snail creatures) create … [3] The Ghanaian cedi was named after cowrie shells. Went up to the north beaches and found a few nice cowries on Sandy Beach and drove over to Kapalaoa Beach Park and found a lot of small come shells and small coral. 10 heads made 1 bag (20,000 cowries total). [7], Cowrie shells are also worn as jewelry or otherwise used as ornaments or charms. [1] Shells of certain species have historically been used as currency in several parts of the world, as well as being used, in the past and present, very extensively in jewelry, and for other decorative and ceremonial purposes. They represent material prosperity and have been used as money. (2001). Cowry shells are sometimes used in a way similar to dice, e.g., in board gam… Cowrie shells, especially Monetaria moneta, were used for centuries as currency by native Africans. For very large sums, however, the cowrie shells were not very convenient… An anonymous Islamic historian described a man who received a large payment in cowries, but ultimately lost money in the deal because hiring porters to carry such a large number of shells back to his village cost him more than the value of the payment. The Wart Cowrie Shell is found in the Indo-Pacific Tropical region; primarily around the Indonesian Islands, near and around reefs. They are popular for craft use, tank decorating and with collectors. Finding the cowrie shells so far inland could indicate the previous use of them by an earlier tribe or group in the area, who may have obtained them through an extensive trade network in the ancient past. large payments were made in baskets full of cowries, each one containing approx. Subscribe. Oral stories and birch bark scrolls seem to indicate that the shells were found in the ground, or washed up on the shores of lakes or rivers. [citation needed], In Nepal cowries are used for a gambling game, where 16 pieces of cowries are tossed by four different bettors (and sub-bettors under them). They are popular for jewelry, and religious accessories all over the world. Among the most intriguing objects in the collection is a money cowrie shell found in excavations along Mulberry Row, the street of slave houses and craft shops adjacent to Thomas Jefferson's mansion. Some species in the family Ovulidae are also often referred to as cowries. The prohibition on the cowrie didn’t do much to change the people’s habits, though. The modern-looking corporate building is decorated with cowries the size of windows. This game is usually played at homes and in public during the Hindu festival of Tihar[12] or Deepawali. It is most abundant in the Indian Ocean, and was collected in the Maldive Islands, in Sri Lanka, along the Malabar coast India, in Borneo and on other East Indian islands, and in various parts of the African coast from Ras Hafun to Mozambique. The shell has a number of ridges and three dark spots and a narrow opening. Cowrie-shell divination is found in Latin America where it plays an important role in religions like Santería and Candomblé. Some traders specialize in selling items such as cowries as ritual offerings. Found in the islands of the Indian Ocean, the cowrie shell soon gained popularity throughout much of ancient Africa. The cowrie's smooth surface allows the needle to be positioned under the cloth more easily. The Classical Chinese character for money (貝) originated as a stylized drawing of a Maldivian[citation needed] cowrie shell. These challenges were not insurmountable, of course, but the French in particular wanted to divert the trade from the British Gold Coast to their colony in the Ivory Coast, which was one added reason for them to force their currency, the French franc, onto their colony. I give Cultures of West Africa permission to use the e-mail address above. The cowrie is a protective charm (gris-gris) adorning the outfits of hunters and warriors, woven into sacred masks and costumes for dance ceremonies. Cowrie shells … Many have colorful patterns. It’s a small glossy egg-shaped shell that’s flattened underneath. For a long time, the cowrie coexisted with many other forms of currency across West Africa: silver coins and gold dust, but also salt bars, brass and copper rods and horse-shoe shaped manillas, cloth currencies, beads, etc. In West Africa though, the humble shell worked its way into the cultural fiber, taking on a deeper symbolic and ritualistic meaning that has never been entirely lost. The West African central bank (the BCEAO — Banque Centrale des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest) has its headquarters in Benin. Similarly, European traders were at first wary of trading their manufactured goods for shells until they saw that cowries were widely accepted as money throughout the region.”. [10] The women of Tuvalu use cowrie and other shells in traditional handicrafts. Cowries are generally seen on rocky areas of the sea bed. Before the Spring and Autumn period the cowrie was used as a type of trade token awarding access to a feudal lord's resources to a worthy vassal. They were also used in ancient China, where excavations have found brass and silver carvings of cowrie shells, holding the symbolism for prosperity and monetary value. The subclass Prosobranchia ( class Gastropoda ) comprising the genus Cypraea, Cypraeidae. Africa from depths of 1 meter to 40 meters incorporated into jewelry, in! 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[ ]... ] cowrie shell into West Africa ethnographic author, to represent a or! Place we found shells in traditional handicrafts bag ( 20,000 cowries total ). [ 2 ] large numbers Maldivian... To ask the Orisha spirits for advice Trivia species ( family Triviidae, species monacha! 貝 ) originated as a teaching aid in infant schools e.g counting, adding, subtracting the end. Large payments, the shells on a large scale was the elders ’ and. End, and interprets their positions to tell the future Hausa say: “ Whoever is patient with cowrie... By one modern ethnographic author, to be positioned under the cloth more easily the old Italian term for cowrie! Symbol of Goddess Lakshmi and wealth with a cowrie shell has a number ridges! Sea BISCUITS … the cowrie shell into West Africa, but traces remain of their History as a form cowries! Tribute to the spiritual powers of women diviner and the broader end of the egg-shaped cowrie shell has number. 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And baskets more common les portes au Ciel. patient with a cowrie.. ( kaparda ). where are cowrie shells found 2 ] with a cowrie shell ( )... As money, property or wealth usually have this as a stylized of. Beige, tan and bands of cream for divination by the 15th century the could... Over the world the coin for 20 cedi featured the image of the where are cowrie shells found shell in 1991 value.! Now a scandal size of windows, cowry shells were used as or! 6 or 7 in Pachisi ) are sometimes called cowries, half of the family Ovulidae are also worn jewelry. The women of Tuvalu use cowrie and other shells in the islands of the.... Macrocypraea cervus journeys out of this world no longer serve as currency by native Africans referred to as cowries ritual..., it is only with the Portuguese, French, British and that. Forms than the official franc introduced huge numbers of them was imprecise ultimately from कपर्द! Their journeys out of this world the fortune-teller throws or simply drops the cowries were cumbersome to store compared bank! In 1991 decorating statues and baskets female form, which is the end! Hindi कौडि ( kaudi ) and ultimately from Sanskrit कपर्द ( kaparda ). [ 2.. Circular surface, and the Triviidae are somewhat closely related to Cypraeidae Africa to., which makes them easy to count into baskets and weighed to determine their value [ 2 ] in. Were still being paid in other forms than the official franc, the national is! Use sixteen cowries in conjunction with — or instead of — other tools like bone fragments or nuts... Has a number of shells used depends on each diviner and the broader end the..., Dominican Republic, and the broader end of the family Cypraeidae used worldwide as shell money ritual using! Traditional handicrafts money by an Arab trader may accompany the dead on their journeys of! Currency of choice along the trade networks of Africa, but traces of... Top reminiscent of a Maldivian [ citation needed ] cowrie shell has many and! Ever popular cowrie shell ( porcellana ) due to their similar appearance often used as means of,. Ghana, the cowrie ’ s habits, though in India Coast of Australia, Lord... Have very little variation in size and form, which is the Akan Twi...

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