The cowrie was the shell most widely used worldwide as shell money. It is most abundant in the Indian Ocean, and was collected in the Maldive Islands, in Sri Lanka, along the Malabar coast India, in Borneo and on other East Indian islands, and in various parts of the African coast from Ras Hafun to Mozambique.

Where are large cowrie shells found?

The largest cowries inhabit the coastal waters of Hawaii. In fact, the largest shell in the image was found off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, and is about 124 mm long.

What are cowries in Nigeria?

In Nigeria, Cowry shell is believed to be the most-widely known pre-coinage currency. There are of course two species of Cowry shell that were used as currency, and their acceptability varied from one area of the country to another. ... Cowrie is known by different names in Nigeria.