Handmade Cowrie Shell and real coin necklace/choker.

The Cowrie shell is indigenous to the Indian Ocean and was brought over to the Americas via trade. The cowrie shell has a cultural significance with the representation of the energy of the ocean, protection, divination and communication, luck, and currency. The cowrie shell is considered to be one of the first forms of currency and was traded in Africa representing tangible significance. In the United States, African Americans also would use coins especially dimes and pennies just like the cowrie shell for divination, luck, and protection.

I decided to combine circulated coins with a piece of history to merge the past and present representing intuition, abundance, and protection.