Cowrie Disc 02

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Medium: Cowrie shells, metal frame and rugs made of sheep wool

Size: 165 cm in diameter x 20 cm in thickness

Weight: 66 kg

Year: 2020

Cowrie shells are abundant in the Indian Ocean and were once used as money in various parts of Africa and East Asia. There were banks which would accept cowrie shells as deposits. Cowrie shells were used to buy African slaves. This is the reason why, the term “He is worth a few cowries”, is prevalent in many Indian languages. The term Porcelain derives from old Italian word for cowrie shells, ‘Porcellana’. These works celebrate different stories associated with the cowrie shells.