Use of Cowry-shells for Currency, Amulets, etc. 135 
from the Faluns of Touraine. Mention is also made of 
a collection of objects from the Cave of Bruniquel, com- 
prising carnivore teeth and perforated marine shells, 
including a Cyprea an inch in length, not improbably 
derived from the Miocene beds of the Garonne.” 
Since Christy's diggings in Laugerie-Basse,”* this cave 
has yielded many other interesting objects, including two 
species of Mediterranean cowries, perforated for use as 
pendants. Particulars of the discovery of the cowries 
are given in a paper by Massenat and others” dealing 
with the finding of a human skeleton (the so-called 
homme ecrassé) in this cave. The latter seems to have 
been a ceremonial interment in the contracted posture. 
The situation of the objects which accompanied the 
skeleton was studied with scrupulous attention and a 
score of shells were found. These were determined by 
Mortillet as belonging to two different species of Mediter- 
ranean cowries, Cyprea pyrum, Gmelin (or razfa Lam.), and 
Cyprea lurida L. The most interesting fact concerning 
them is that they were arranged in pairs upon the body ; 
two pairs on the forehead, one near each humerus, four in 
the region of the knees and thighs, two upon each foot. 
The discoverer dismisses the idea of a necklace or bracelets 
and suggests they were intended to adorn a garment. 
Each cowry was pierced with a notch. 
Cowries have also been found in the celebrated Men- 
tone Caves alongside human skeletons, which can with 
ONb2d5. ps 7.0) (ext) 
8S /bid., p. 288 (Text). 
59 , Massenat, Ph. Lalande & Cartailhac, ‘‘Découverte d'un squelette 
humain de l’age du renne a Laugerie-Basse (Dordogne).” Covzfies Rendus 
del Acad. des Sciences, vol. 74, 1872, pp. 1060-3; also Paul Girod and E. 
Massenat, ‘* Les Stations de l’Age du Renne dans les vallées de la Vézére 
et de Ja Corréze—Laugerie-Basse,” Paris, 1900, pp. 24-5. Sollas (‘f Ancient 
Hunters,” 2nd Ed., 1915, p. 509, fig. 288) gives a figure (after Cartailhac) 
of this interesting burial, with the associated shells. 
