Cowrie shell

Cowrie Shell
Cowrie Shell is the shell from marine gastropods from in the South Pacific and Africa, and is generally used as beads for jewelry.

Cowrie Shell: The highly polished and brightly marked shells of tropical marine gastropods of the genus Cypraea, some of which are used as currency in the South Pacific and Africa. Small cowrie shells are commonly used as beads in jewelry.

Cowrie shell
A speckled shell that is often used as chips for stringing or beads in costume jewelry
Cubic zirconia ...

Cowrie Shell: A marine shell of the genus Cypraea. These brightly marked and polished shells are used in jewelry and some were used as currency in the South Pacific and Africa.

COWRY or COWRIE SHELLS
Are small rounded shells with a creamy porcelain like quality, a narrow slit like opening, and interestingly patterned outer surface.
Above are examples of polished yellow Cowrie sea shell beads.

(It comes from the Italian word "porcellana" meaning white cowrie shell.) Supplies of the two essential ingredients, kaolin and petuntse, were found in Fukien Province in China, about 900 A.D.

Seashell: Any of a number of shells of marine creatures such as mollusks or gastropods which can be used as jewelry. See cowrie shell, olivelia shell, abalone, ammolite, etc.

See also: Stone, Make, Natural, Quartz, Shape