Use of Cowry-shells for Currency, Amutets, etc. 145 
and is designed to insure fecundity. This consists of 
a piece of wood sewn into a small cat-skin bag 
ornamented with cowry-shells, which is worn round the 
waist, so that the amulet rests in front of the wearer.” 
Divination is also practised by means of pieces of 
leather decorated with cowry-shells. They are also 
offered to propitiate the spirits of trees ; and sent by the 
king as presents to each of the important deities. Another 
most important use is to decorate the jawbones of deceased 
kings. Some five months after the death and burial of a 
king the tomb is entered and the head severed from the 
body and brought away. The jawbone is then removed 
and placed in an ant hill until all the flesh is eaten away, 
the skull meanwhile being given special burial in a place 
near the tomb. The jawbone, after being cleansed and 
washed in beer and milk, is wrapped in fine barkcloth 
which has been rubbed with butter, and is decorated with 
beads and cowry-shells collected during the king’s lifetime 
from people succeeding to chieftainships. A temple is 
then built to receive the decorated jawbone and umbilical 
cord of the late king, and also the umbilical cord of the 
ex-queen.” At the end of the royal mourning cowry- 
shells are thrown on the fire as if they were fuel ; this is 
also done at ceremonies to prolong the king’s life.” 
In the marriage ceremonies of the Baganda these 
shells form an important part of the dowry, the bridegroom 
having to provide as many as two thousand five hundred.” 
On the birth of twins it is the custom for the grandmother 
to make each twin a present of cowry-shells, and everyone 
coming to see them throws cowry-shells into a basket 
CS) Lb2a ee Di a3. 
"5 [bid., pp. 109-10. 
UO SMipibn, \or, Sots 
"7 Tbid., pp. 88-9. 
