Toussian Cowrie Shell Currency Armlet

Toussian people, late 19th to early 20th century, Burkina Faso, West Africa

A charming and evocative aged cowrie shell armlet—originally a form of currency—composed of 44 carefully cut cowrie shells threaded onto a slender cotton band. Light, tactile, and elegantly arranged, this piece embodies both adornment and economic history.

Cowrie shells served as one of the earliest and most widespread forms of money, prized across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania for their portability, durability, and distinctive beauty. In West Africa, particularly from the 14th century onward, cowries (especially Cypraea moneta and C. annulus) became a dominant medium of exchange. Imported primarily from the Maldives and transported across vast trade routes—including the Sahara—they were used to purchase goods, settle debts, and measure wealth and social rank.

By the early 16th century, cowries had become deeply embedded in West African economies. Portuguese traders introduced enormous quantities of shells, which soon became the “shell money of the slave trade,” exchanged for gold, slaves, and other commodities. Over time, the economic role of cowries gradually shifted, yet their symbolic power endured. They continued to be used as ornament, protective charm (gris-gris), ritual object, and status marker well into the 20th century.

The Toussian (Tusyan) people, a small cultural group in southwestern Burkina Faso and surrounding regions, historically incorporated cowrie currency and ornamentation into their broader aesthetic and ritual traditions. This necklace reflects that heritage—an authentic, tactile remnant of West Africa’s intertwined histories of commerce, identity, and adornment.

Good condition. Expected nicks, loose threads, abrasions, fraying, and softening of detail, all commensurate with age and use. Lovely dark patina. Size approx. 25,0cm x 1,8cm x 1,2cm.

Provenance: Dutch private collection.