My fascination with the cowrie shell started when I first starting making my own jewellery many years ago, there used to be a bead shop in Covent Garden that would sell the most beautiful shells and I would love the tactile quality of these sea gems. My interest was peaked when I came across the extensive use of cowrie shells in African artefacts and tribal attire worn by Chiefs and tribe members as body adornment and for ceremonial purposes.
But did you know that cowrie shells were used as a form of money for centuries as early as the 14th century on Africa’s western coast and spread across many other parts of Africa, Asian, Oceania and even Europe. Similar to our Cyptocurrency today because it was a peer-to-peer system that did not rely on banks to verify transactions. These beautiful sea shells were durable and light making them easy to transport and exchange across villages and recognised as valuable currency across borders enabling international trade. Cowrie shells had all the characteristics expected of a currency, solidity, manageability, divisibility and the fact that it is easily identifiable are found in these small shells, the two main species of which are cypraea moneta and cypraea annulus. The word money actually derives from the word moneta; the medium of exchange, 40 shells for groceries, could you imagine such a beautiful form of payment.
Our fascination and idea of value and wealth imbedded in these curious sea creatures still exist today, in more recent years it was rumoured in The Washington Post that the most expensive cowrie ever sold was for more than $50,000 which is an incredible example of how their intrinsic beauty is tied to their monetary status. This mystical sea creature has been treasured by people from as early as 620BC – 250BC in ancient Egypt and continues today in the form of jewellery, art and decoration.
The idea that these humble sea shells hold so much history, wealth and value that transpires across the world especially in African is one of the reasons that I use them in my jewellery designs today. I only wish I use them today as currency, I could adorn myself in several strings of shells and take them off to pay for my food shop and maybe a pair of new shoes lol! However I am very contented with using them to make jewellery and to decorate my accessories with, I have falling in love with the cowrie shell and hope to pass some of their history and beauty on to you in my designs. Take a look at this short video of my new bohemian bracelets celebrating the cowrie shells:
Elisha x
Elisha Francis 