Earth and Ocean Jewelry

You see the cowrie worn, on necklaces, on wrists as bracelets, on ankles as anklets, in locs and braids and more commonly in earrings. It is generally connected to people of African descent and you will see them worn by more openly and specifically by African-conscious people, particually since the late 70's where they appeared on vendor tables all over the country. Cowries are viewed by many as a sign of an African cultural adaptation...

However, cowries are not limited to Africa but are part of a global culture and are one of the remaining symbols of ancient empires. One can see it's historical influence in places such as Malaysia, India, Africa and Polynesia, the cowrie is celebrated for its beauty, simplicity and its ability to invoke the image of all things prosperous, fertile, sensual, watery and lunar. Having this particular power has allowed the cowry to endure the ages and even to re-emerge today as a symbol of reconnection to mother earth, urban tribalism, Goddess consciousness and to arise independent of more rigorous and one-dimensional aspects of Western Culture.

Cowries are possibly one of the oldest instances used in symbolic art which was constructed by humans. Cowries with etched holes into them have been found in Stone Age caves located above the Indian Ocean dating back 75,000 years. These caves are located in South Africa. Remarkably the shells were found in strings of 17. The string of shells reveal markings of extensive use due to rubbing against fabric or string, particularly red fabric for many of them were colored red.

Ancient people used cowries in many ways. The small creature is prepared as a popular food and the shell is used for decorative and utilitarian purposes. Later as the use of money cowry declined, its use continued as a special-purpose currency. Important and significant purchases included bride price, payments for fines, , and funerals and as payment initiation into secret societies. Other uses of the cowry include using them as decorations on clothing and furniture, drums, headdresses, ritual masks, in games and in computation are still used today.

The use of the cowry is truly a point of global culture. In every part of the world the cowry was used and for the same justifications. That is the beauty of the cowry and its history. No one felt that using the cowry would interfere with their national sovereignty or their spiritual traditions. The source of the cowry's power came from Mother Earth and her love and blessings for humankind. Within this context, all life is an emanation of the divine spirit and is deemed sacred. Thus, money, too, was sacred since its image was natural and made by the Earth.

Some people might assume that cowries were used mostly by islanders or those who live on the coasts of major continents but that is not true. Even land-locked communities that had no access to the resources of cowries fresh from the waters embraced and used cowries nonetheless. Priests, shamans and medicine people the world over use this shell in many rituals. For them it was an invaluable ceremonial tool which is not easily omitted or replaced. In Iran they are called "eye crackers."

While cowrie shells have become a social statement, in reality, they are a highly valued spiritual token of blessing. They are used in weddings, funerals, traditional ceremonies, art...their uses are countless. We can adorn our bodies and our instruments with cowries...we can tie them in our hair and sew them on our clothes... they can hang from our ears or necks...they can be given as gifts or offerings...the only thing that one should never do with a cowrie shell is to burn it. Regardless how we use the shells, one should always keep in mind the significance of the shell and its true spiritual meaning.