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Money cowries are tropical sea snails (Monetaria moneta). They have delicate lace-like bodies that are protected by a smooth, hard shell (or āexoskeletonā).
The material this shell is made of is strong and bright, almost gem-like. As their common name ā āmoney cowriesā ā tells us, for thousands of years people across the globe used them as a kind of currency.
Many money cowries came from the Maldives, which had a vibrant cowrie industry. This industry was a rare example of a sustainable reef fishery. It didnāt end due to over-fishing, but rather to changes in economic dynamics.
#heritagemonth #kznmuseum #cowries #heritage #seasnails #money #Maldives #MonetariaMoneta) #RĆ©unionIsland #PhilippeBourjon
šø A live money cowrie (Monetaria moneta) in RĆ©union island lagoon photographed by Philippe Bourjon (2015). Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0.
