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seem to indicate that the shells were found in the ground, or washed up on the shores of lakes or rivers. 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
826:
635:
In certain parts of Africa, cowries were prized charms, and they were said to be associated with fecundity, sexual pleasure and good luck. It is also used in the treatment of certain diseases such as rashes and ringworm when it is burnt into ashes.
814:
442:
The shells of cowries are usually smooth and shiny and more or less egg-shaped. 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
887:
1240:
Ameade, Evans Paul Kwame; Dayah, Barnabas; Kouame, Lovis Nsoua Abina; Edmond, Saavielung
Yaganomo; Abraham, Bodong; James, Balansuah Bayuo; Stephen, Gmawurim; Abagna, Linda Adobagna; Adom, Emmanuel (2023-05-19).
592:
is named after this type of shell. 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. Oral stories and
763:
cowries are used for a gambling game, where 16 pieces of cowries are tossed by four different bettors (and sub-bettors under them). This game is usually played at homes and in public during the
509:
to the similarity between shape of the shell and that of female genitalia. After the 1500s, however, the shell's use as currency became even more common. Western nations, chiefly through the
895:
447:), which is often toothed at the edges. The narrower end of the egg-shaped cowrie shell is the anterior end, and the broader end of the shell is called the posterior. The
1446:
647:, cowrie shells were placed in the graves of young girls. The modified Levantine cowries were discovered ritually arranged around the skull in female burials. During the
838:
1123:
464:. Many have colorful patterns. Lengths range from 5 mm (0.2 in) for some species up to 19 cm (7.5 in) for the Atlantic deer cowrie,
233:
Cowrie shells have held cultural, economic, and ornamental significance in various cultures. The cowrie was the shell most widely used worldwide as
544:) originated as a stylized drawing of a Maldivian cowrie shell. Words and characters concerning money, property or wealth usually have this as a
1428:
1199:
1034:
451:
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.
600:
In
Eastern India, particularly in West Bengal, it is given as a token price for the ferry ride of the departed soul to cross the river "
1224:
1172:
1052:
756:). A number of shells (6 or 7 in Pachisi) are thrown, with those landing aperture upwards indicating the actual number rolled.
1098:
808:
In the 1940s and 1950s, small cowry shells were used as a teaching aid in infant schools e.g counting, adding, subtracting.
521:
was named after cowrie shells. Starting over three thousand years ago, cowrie shells, or copies of the shells, were used as
1525:
1077:
545:
162:
72:
1044:
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heels were stretched. The cowrie's smooth surface allows the needle to be positioned under the cloth more easily.
581:
329:
1352:
1474:
1243:"Current Uses of Cowries in Traditional Medicine After their Disuse as Currency-A Cross-Sectional Study in Ghana"
749:
737:
180:
Shells of various species of cowrie; all but one have their anterior ends pointing towards the top of this image.
1366:
1441:
945:
549:
514:
1139:"The Use of Maldivian Cowries as Money According to an 18th Century Portuguese Dictionary on World Currencies"
552:
the cowrie was used as a type of trade token awarding access to a feudal lord's resources to a worthy vassal.
994:
522:
321:
1490:
1301:
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309:
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habitat can be found; and further into the
Pacific from Central America, the Pacific habitat range of
608:
651:, cowries became more common as funerary goods, also associated with burials of women and children.
1520:
497:
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1335:
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67:
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695:. Its underside is supposed, by one modern ethnographic author, to represent a vulva or an eye.
1424:
1291:
1220:
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1189:
1168:
1117:
1048:
704:
533:
1017:
604:". Cowries are used during cremation. Cowries are also used in the worship of Goddess Laxmi.
1327:
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1266:"Cowrie Shells and their Imitations as Ornamental Amulets in Egypt and the Near East"
565:
518:
506:
340:
289:
250:
1102:
918:"A Cowry Shell Artifact from Bolsa Chica : An Example of Prehistoric Exchange"
709:
672:
238:
1372:. SPC Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin #7
1331:
421:
963:
917:
860:
855:
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729:
484:
366:
234:
200:
176:
144:
1505:
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1074:
775:. In the same festival these shells are also worshiped as a symbol of Goddess
741:
648:
278:
270:
208:
154:
114:
1002:
454:
Nearly all cowries have a porcelain-like shine, with some exceptions such as
1040:
772:
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577:
312:
off the coast of the United States; further south, off the coast of Mexico,
282:
266:
246:
216:
204:
84:
17:
434:
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832:
Antiquities of Native
Americans, particularly of the Georgia tribes (1873)
820:
Print from 1845 shows cowrie shells being used as money by an Arab trader.
585:
397:
361:) are sometimes called cowries. The Ovulidae and the Triviidae are other
336:
104:
1339:
776:
733:
664:
660:
561:
541:
495:, were used for centuries as currency by native Africans. In his book
1467:
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618:
589:
455:
293:
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1194:(2nd reprinted ed.). Asian Educational Services. p. 257.
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764:
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753:
708:, was drilled at the ends and worn on a string around the neck by
688:
526:
433:
420:
382:
175:
161:
35:
31:
1483:
1293:
Radiance from the Waters: Ideals of
Feminine Beauty in Mende Art
802:
725:
699:
624:
Cowrie shells were among the devices used for divination by the
317:
273:. Cowrie shell money was important in the trade networks of
62:
Cowries are generally seen on rocky areas of the sea bed.
1455:
1367:"The uses of shells in traditional Tuvaluan handicrafts"
716:
use cowrie and other shells in traditional handicrafts.
369:, the superfamily of cowries and their close relatives.
407:
1152:: 18 – via Oriental Numismatic Society Archive.
724:
Cowrie shells are sometimes used in a way similar to
1247:
702:Islands, a shell of the golden cowrie or bulikula,
505:attributed the use of cowrie shells as currency in
391:
328:can be reached) as well as the waters south of the
66:
45:
844:Cowrie shells used as dice, showing a roll of 3
525:. They were also used as means of exchange in
400:
339:are also often referred to as cowries. In the
225:
8:
1165:Truth and Reconciliation in Canadian Schools
425:1742 drawing of shells of the money cowrie,
261:in the Pacific, and in various parts of the
385:
568:use cowrie shells which are called sacred
53:
42:
308:is the only cowrie species native to the
1365:Tiraa-Passfield, Anna (September 1996).
1167:. Portage & Main Press. p. 65.
296:, cowrie species inhabit the waters off
888:"Home : Oxford English Dictionary"
879:
810:
1270:Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranea
1146:Oriental Numismatic Society Newsletter
1122:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
1115:
1033:Jan Hogendorn; Marion Johnson (1986).
787:Large cowrie shells such as that of a
1456:cowry.org – studying Hawaii's cowries
997:. July 2023. cowrie (n.), Etymology.
675:culture, cowrie shells are viewed as
257:and on other East Indian islands, in
27:Common name for a group of sea snails
7:
1316:"Cowrie Shells as Amulets in Europe"
1217:The Hutchinson Dictionary of Symbols
1353:Cowries as a badge of rank in Fiji.
621:divinities and hear their replies.
611:from Africa, cowrie shells (called
349:species (family Triviidae, species
230:) due to their similar appearance.
192:
1419:Felix Lorenz; Alex Hubert (1999).
1036:The Shell Money of the Slave Trade
25:
1137:Bertsch, Wolfgang (Autumn 2000).
712:as a badge of rank. The women of
1463:– a gallery of images of cowries
837:
825:
813:
396:), which is itself derived from
71:
1442:Cowrie Genomic Database Project
1219:. London: Helicon. p. 53.
1188:Panikkar, T. K. Gopal (1995) .
659:Cowrie shells are also worn as
617:) are also used to consult the
607:In Brazil, as a result of the
203:for a group of small to large
1:
1332:10.1080/0015587X.1942.9717654
1163:Pamela Rose Toulouse (2018).
513:, introduced huge numbers of
237:. It is most abundant in the
1421:A Guide to Worldwide Cowries
172:) with fully extended mantle
1022:. H. Liveright. p. 34.
408:
392:
335:Some species in the family
241:, and was collected in the
224:term for the cowrie shell (
1544:
1475:Collier's New Encyclopedia
1045:Cambridge University Press
1016:Russell, Bertrand (1929).
582:Whiteshell Provincial Park
489:Cowrie shells, especially
482:
330:Southeastern United States
29:
1314:Hildburgh, W. L. (1942).
990:Oxford English Dictionary
750:annual customs of Dahomey
401:
386:
68:Scientific classification
61:
52:
1215:Tresidder, Jack (1997).
797:in the recent past as a
550:Spring and Autumn period
30:Not to be confused with
1451:on Animal Diversity Web
995:Oxford University Press
517:cowries in Africa. The
1491:Encyclopedia Americana
1003:10.1093/OED/4018863654
458:'s granulated cowrie,
439:
431:
226:
181:
173:
1302:Yale University Press
1264:Golani, Amir (2014).
1088:, NSN #306, June 1985
663:or otherwise used as
564:aboriginal people in
461:Nucleolaria granulata
437:
424:
310:eastern Pacific Ocean
220:derives from the old
179:
165:
1526:Mollusc common names
1396:Yeti Trial Adventure
1191:Malabar and its folk
609:Atlantic slave trade
580:ceremonies, and the
1086:Hawaiian Shell News
1084:by Ardis Doolin in
1019:Marriage and Morals
498:Marriage and Morals
467:Macrocypraea cervus
249:, along the Indian
1298:Sylvia Ardyn Boone
1080:2009-04-05 at the
793:have been used in
720:Games and gambling
641:Pre-dynastic Egypt
594:birch bark scrolls
440:
432:
322:Little Deer Cowrie
298:Central California
182:
174:
1429:978-3-925-91925-1
1201:978-81-206-0170-3
898:on 10 August 2022
705:Cypraea aurantium
534:Classical Chinese
417:Shell description
169:Cypraea chinensis
160:
159:
16:(Redirected from
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1461:Beautifulcowries
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1101:. Archived from
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894:. Archived from
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626:Kaniyar Panicker
523:Chinese currency
503:Bertrand Russell
492:Monetaria moneta
428:Monetaria moneta
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1099:"Archived copy"
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1096:
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1082:Wayback Machine
1075:"Money Cowries"
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645:Southern Levant
628:astrologers of
558:
487:
481:
476:
419:
375:
314:Central America
306:chestnut cowrie
302:Baja California
243:Maldive Islands
135:Littorinimorpha
125:Caenogastropoda
70:
47:
39:
28:
23:
22:
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1436:External links
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1423:. Conchbooks.
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1326:(4): 178–195.
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790:Cypraea tigris
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643:and Neolithic
597:ancient past.
557:
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536:character for
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358:Trivia arctica
352:Trivia monacha
207:in the family
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1485:"Cowry"
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1469:"Cowry"
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1174:9781553797463
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1105:on 2021-02-25
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570:miigis shells
567:
566:North America
563:
555:
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551:
548:. Before the
547:
543:
539:
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530:
528:
524:
520:
519:Ghanaian cedi
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508:
507:ancient Egypt
504:
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438:Cowrie shells
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1399:. Retrieved
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1386:
1374:. Retrieved
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1132:
1107:. Retrieved
1103:the original
1093:
1085:
1070:
1058:. Retrieved
1035:
1028:
1018:
1011:
989:
983:
973:25 September
971:. Retrieved
967:
958:
949:
940:
928:. Retrieved
924:
912:
900:. Retrieved
896:the original
891:
882:
807:
788:
786:
779:and wealth.
767:festival of
758:
738:Ashta Chamma
723:
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479:Monetary use
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459:
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326:Money Cowrie
287:
239:Indian Ocean
232:
215:
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196:
188:
184:
183:
167:
40:
18:Cowrie shell
861:Shell money
856:Money cowry
801:over which
799:darning egg
730:board games
728:, e.g., in
574:whiteshells
511:slave trade
485:Shell money
381:comes from
367:Cypraeoidea
265:coast from
235:shell money
201:common name
145:Cypraeoidea
1521:Cypraeidae
1515:Categories
1506:Wiktionary
1401:22 October
1376:8 February
1355:(archived)
1109:2012-05-12
874:References
742:divination
710:chieftains
649:Bronze Age
556:Ritual use
483:See also:
343:the local
279:South Asia
271:Mozambique
227:porcellana
209:Cypraeidae
205:sea snails
155:Cypraeidae
121:Subclass:
115:Gastropoda
1041:Cambridge
930:10 August
902:10 August
773:Deepawali
685:fertility
681:womanhood
665:ornaments
632:, India.
602:Vaitarani
578:Midewiwin
515:Maldivian
474:Human use
377:The word
373:Etymology
283:East Asia
267:Ras Hafun
247:Sri Lanka
217:porcelain
214:The term
199:) is the
91:Kingdom:
85:Eukaryota
1320:Folklore
1272:: 71–94.
1118:cite web
1078:Archived
1060:29 April
946:"Cowrie"
925:Pcas.org
850:See also
748:and the
586:Manitoba
445:aperture
398:Sanskrit
363:families
337:Ovulidae
166:Cowrie (
151:Family:
105:Mollusca
101:Phylum:
95:Animalia
81:Domain:
1494:. 1920.
1478:. 1921.
1449:Cypraea
1392:"Tihar"
1340:1257370
1304:, 1986.
964:"Cowri"
892:Oed.com
777:Lakshmi
734:Pachisi
698:On the
677:symbols
661:jewelry
655:Jewelry
546:radical
409:kaparda
365:within
288:In the
263:African
222:Italian
197:cowries
131:Order:
111:Class:
1501:miigis
1447:Genus
1427:
1338:
1223:
1198:
1171:
1051:
866:Wampum
795:Europe
740:or in
714:Tuvalu
693:wealth
669:charms
630:Kerala
619:Orixás
614:bĂşzios
590:Canada
562:Ojibwe
456:Hawaii
379:cowrie
346:Trivia
294:Mexico
281:, and
275:Africa
259:Maluku
255:Borneo
195:
185:Cowrie
48:Cowry
46:Cowrie
1504:" at
1370:(PDF)
1336:JSTOR
1142:(PDF)
921:(PDF)
783:Other
769:Tihar
765:Hindu
761:Nepal
754:Benin
744:(cf.
732:like
689:birth
673:Mende
671:. In
538:money
527:India
449:spire
402:कपर्द
393:kaudi
383:Hindi
304:(the
253:, in
245:, in
189:cowry
36:Coury
32:Kauri
1425:ISBN
1403:2014
1378:2014
1221:ISBN
1196:ISBN
1169:ISBN
1124:link
1062:2015
1049:ISBN
975:2013
932:2022
904:2022
803:sock
726:dice
700:Fiji
691:and
560:The
532:The
387:कौडि
355:and
318:Peru
316:and
292:and
1328:doi
1296:by
1150:165
999:doi
771:or
759:In
752:of
746:Ifá
679:of
667:or
639:In
584:in
576:in
572:or
413:).
300:to
269:to
193:pl.
187:or
34:or
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542:貝
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