Cowrie shells have been used for centuries as currency, jewelry and decorations. Appreciated in divinatory art and recognized as true good-luck charms in Africa, their benefits are known to all. The significance of cowries plays an important role in many cultures.
No doubt you've already heard of these little white shells! These small shells, found in the Maldives, have an original, delicate shape that is much appreciated by women. But what are the virtues and properties of cowries? Where can you collect these precious little shells?
WHAT IS A COWRIE SHELL?
You've probably heard of "porcelain", "coffee bean" or "cowrie" shells... Yes, there are many ways to name this fabulous little white shell! With its chic and cute looks, it's nonetheless an interesting mollusc to study, whose history is bound to surprise you. So hang on, and let's find out together!
1 - A UNIVALVE GASTROPOD
The cauri, whose name derives from the Tamil kauri, is a univalve shellfish found in the Indo-Pacific basin and belonging to the Cypraeidae family. The Cypraeidae family is a large family of gastropods (nearly 250 species), which includes "porcelain" shells, i.e. shells wound in a spiral.
This gastropod is small (3 cm maximum), so its appearance is flattened and rather irregular. It is pale in color, ranging from white to beige, with occasional darker patterns (stripes or bands) ranging from brown to green. Its opening is fairly wide, with pronounced denticles.
2 - THEIR USE IN JEWELRY-MAKING
With its clean, sober (beige, white) and elegant lines, this shell is the perfect accessory! That's why it's so popular in a wide variety of jewelry designs. Jewelers and jewellery makers are delighted!
This is particularly true of shell necklaces with cowries, which can be chokers or pendants. The same is true of certain cowrie bracelets, rings and earrings, most of which are made with small white or beige cowrie shells...
You can take a look at some of the items in our store to get a better idea of what cowrie shell jewelry is all about!
3 - COWRIE SHELLS IN ART AND DECORATION
Another aspect in which cowries are particularly important is in art and decoration. Whether in paintings or sculptures, they can be found just about everywhere.
The same goes for interior and exterior decorative objects: from candles and vases to macramé and wicker baskets, the bohemian trend is crazy about these little shells!
4 - FOR THE MOST DISCERNING COLLECTORS AND ENTHUSIASTS
Mollusc collectors of all kinds will tell you: coffee beans are one of their favorite shells! And while they're not all that hard to come by (as we'll see later), their beauty is sure to delight everyone, from the young to the old!
COWRIE SHELLS AS CURRENCY
Cowries have long been used as currency. This pretty white shell has all the characteristics of a currency: easy to handle and transport, medium size, quick and easy identification... But where and when were they used in this way?
1 - A RICH AND COMPLEX HISTORY
Coffee bean shells were once used as currency, particularly in Asia (China, India, Indonesia) and Oceania. Their use is thought to have begun around the 13th century BC. In those days, cowrie shells were a symbol of prosperity and power. In fact, some populations even made cowries out of jade or wood!
In the 17th century, following the explorations of Asia by European and Arab sailors (via the India route), cowrie shells spread to Europe and Africa. In markets and remote villages, merchants could use baskets containing more than 10,000 cowrie shells to pay!
Cowries were often strung on ropes or put into bags to carry larger quantities. However, for significant payments, their use was not very practical.
Here's how cowries were counted:
- 40 cowries = 1 string
- 50 strings = 1 head, which is 2,000 cowries
- 10 heads = 1 sack, which is 20,000 cowries
It is said that one day, a man received a very large payment in cowries. But there were so many sacks to transport that the cost of the carriers made him lose all his money!
During the slave trade in the 18th century, tens of tons of these shells were exported by European states to buy slaves, as evidenced by this photograph from West Africa. According to Amadou Hampâté Bâ, a Malian author, the price of a slave could go up to 100,000 cowries.
2 - THEIR PLACE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Finally, the use of porcelain as currency is still relevant today. In fact, in some African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso), porcelain is used as a complement to money. The cowrie has also been chosen as the emblem of the Malian Development Bank.
In addition, the Malvides, where there are many cowries (as the English say), has also decided to feature them on its 50 and 100 banknotes. In Ghana, the national currency is the Cedi, meaning "cauri" in the country's native language. The 20 cedi coin featured the porcelain shell in 1991.
It's a true symbol of wealth, used for centuries by local populations in the Indo-Pacific and African basin to sell, buy and barter. It is still very much part of African culture, despite its demonetization a few decades ago and its overuse in tourism.
MEANING OF THE CAURI SHELL
Used in rituals and traditions, these shells are at the heart of many beliefs and legends. Indeed, the meanings of cowrie shells are surprising and mysterious...
1 - THEIR DIVINATORY PROPERTIES
Did you know that certain shells were used in the art of divination? We're not talking about reading the bottom of a coffee cup or a crystal ball, but a little shell! It may seem an imprecise or absurd science to some, but it's not: it's a gift.
For some clairvoyants, cowrie shells are the tools of their trade, and their meanings are highly prized. Before any consultation, there is usually a purification rite with incense and candles. Some professionals even dress up in appropriate outfits including tiaras, turbans, headbands, belts and jewelry.
The diviner then throws or drops the cowrie shells on a mat and interprets their positions in his or her own way to predict the future. The number of shells used depends on each fortune-teller and the tradition to which he or she belongs. The Yoruba, for example, use sixteen cowrie shells to seek advice from the Orisha spirits.
Most fortune-tellers are looking for answers, consolation and, above all, advice. The most common theme? Love. Then come health, money, work and family. What could be better than reassurance?
Seashells are therefore widely used in geomancy (the art of divining the future by throwing earth or pebbles at random according to the resulting figures).
2 - THE SYMBOLISM OF COWRIE SHELLS IN AFRICA
A true African symbol, the cowrie shell is used in rituals and in the manufacture of numerous jewels and ornaments. In fact, the cowrie shell has many different meanings and properties, depending on the country and even the village.
Some African priests make costumes entirely or partly from cowrie shells, for use in religious and war ceremonies. Other objects of a magical or cultural nature adorned with cowries include :
- Horns
- gris-gris fetishes
- statues
These cowrie-covered objects and costumes can be found in Casamance among the Diola, in Eastern Senegal among the Bassari and in Togo, where traditional religion is still present. Finally, the Lodagaa of northern Ghana believe that the deceased need a tax of twenty cowrie shells to cross the river of death and reach the land of the dead in the west.
Cowrie shells therefore have an important symbolic value in Africa, directly linked to the spirits of the earth and the oceans, and to traditional religions.
THE VIRTUES OF COWRIE SHELLS
The benefits and virtues of cowrie shells are widely used throughout the world for religious rites and divination. True good-luck charms and feminine symbols, they aid fertility and accelerate beauty.
1 - COWRIES AS GOOD LUCK CHARMS
In Africa, for example, when someone is attracted to cowrie shells, it means they have a family link with ocean spirits and sea creatures. People who wear cowrie shells are therefore assured of powerful protection from the ocean spirits.
Some people also believe that cowrie shells have powerful virtues that should bring prosperity and wealth to the wearer. This is why we find many cowries on traditional Asian, Oceanic and African outfits, hairstyles and jewelry.
2 - AN ELEMENT OF FERTILITY
Cowrie shells are often associated with women. Indeed, their elegant shape can represent the female sex, or even the female body (its curved back recalling the belly of a pregnant woman).
They are therefore a symbol of fertility. The slit in the shell can also be likened to a black pupil, which is why its virtues are often used to protect against the evil eye. This ties in with the previous point.
3 - COWRIES AND BEAUTY
Finally, the cowrie serves as an essential beauty accessory for two reasons:
- It is used to design jewelry.
- It can be used to prepare a traditional African facial treatment, aimed at deeply cleansing the skin.
To prepare this remedy:
- Rinse and clean the cowries: how to wash a shell?
- Place them in a glass jar and cover them with a little lemon juice to dissolve them.
- Wait overnight: you will obtain a white cream that is more or less liquid.
This cream is applied all over the face and helps achieve a brightening effect thanks to the lemon, resulting in clearer, smoother skin by eliminating temporary pimples, spots, and scars. Enjoy a radiant and flawless face thanks to the virtues of cowries!
WHERE TO FIND COWRIE SHELLS?
You now know a lot about cowrie shells! Their history, their "scientific" aspect, their properties and meanings, their use over the centuries... Now let's discover the best places to find cowrie shells (and our secret spots) and the best ways to buy these rare pearls (with our tips).
1 - THE BEST SPOT: THE MALDIVES
As we said earlier, cowrie shells are mainly native to the Maldives, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean made up of over 1,000 islands! Thanks to its paradisiacal beaches, geography and climate, the Maldives are ideal for the development of unique species. Such is the case for cowries, where they literally proliferate.
Still fished by native and indigenous peoples for decorative and ornamental purposes, they can be found at depths of up to 20 metres. You can find these precious little white molluscs on most coastlines. This is particularly true of the following beaches:
- Bandos
- Biyadoo
- Embudu
- Filitheyo
- Lily Beach
- And so many more...
Don't forget your flippers and a small bag for collecting them!
2 - SECRET PLACES FILLED WITH THESE LITTLE WHITE SHELLS
But the Maldives isn't the only place where you can find cowrie shells... In fact, the entire Indo-Pacific basin is packed with them! East or West, the choice is yours, as long as you stay around the Equator. Here's a short but not exhaustive list of places where you can dive for porcelain shells:
- India
- Sri Lanka
- Indonesia
- Philippines
- Madagascar
- Australia
3 - AN ALTERNATIVE: ACQUIRING THEM IN THE US
Finally, if you don't enjoy traveling or if a trip to such distant and exotic locations isn't in your immediate plans, there's still a solution to find them! For years, the United States has been importing cowrie shells collected from the Maldives or other hidden beaches around the world. This is why you can easily and quickly procure them within the US, at a very reasonable price! Whether it's online through a specialized e-commerce platform, or in a local store near you, you're bound to find exactly what you're looking for!
YOU'LL NEVER UNDERESTIMATE COWRIE SHELLS AGAIN!
Cowrie shells are steeped in a rich and complex history! Their various uses, meanings, symbolism, benefits and virtues are the very essence of their impressive reputation. Symbols of the ocean and widely used in Africa, porcelain shells are good luck charms, and we should all carry them with us, whether in a piece of jewelry or on a table.
As they are mostly found in the Indo-Pacific basin, you need to take advantage of a trip or live in this area to easily find cowrie shells! But don't panic, there are other ways of obtaining small porcelain shells without too much effort, for example by wearing a cowrie shell necklace or bracelet.
