1,200 BC: Cowrie Shells The first use of cowries, the shell of a mollusc that was widely available in the shallow waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, was in China. Historically, many ...

The cowrie, a type of marine snail, has very colourful shells which were used as money. It seems that it wasn’t just the colours that made the shell appealing - its small size and durability ...

Most of the cowries had a white shell with a yellowish tint ... The mantle or the layer of flesh that covers the live Money Cowry is said to be grey-black with yellow streaks and spots. So they would ...