Cowry Shell (Cypraeidae)

Cowry Shell (Cypraeidae)

A smooth and shiny egg-shaped Cowry shell. This shell has light coloured spots on the surface with unpatterned brown outer rim.

SJBS

H: 0.03 C: 0.16

Shell

Physical Object

In several parts of the world, cowrie shells were historically used as currency and in ritual ceremonies. In the South Pacific, cowrie shells are shaped by women to be used in jewellery that signify social rank and traditional handicrafts