Use of Cowry-shells for Currency, Amulets, etc. 165 
other shell ornaments. Its association with chank bangles 
is specially interesting and seems to imply a similar 
cultural source for the use of these white shells. Hornell 
in his work on “The Sacred Chank of India’"” informs 
us (p. 50) that fragments of Cypre@a moneta and of a 
Nerzta, also beads of entire Paludina shells, were found 
near Hampasagra, on the Tungabhadra, 53 miles west of 
Bellary, along with 18 fragments of chank bangles, 
Mr. Bruce Foote placing the age of this find as late 
neolithic or early iron age. Also (p. 51), “from miade 
ground in the north bank of a nullah, at Huvina, near 
Hadagalli, 65 miles west of Bellary, came a single bangle 
fragment with two money cowries (Cypre@a moneta),” 
and “from an old site north of Bellaguppa, came a 
fragment of a working section of chank shell, an entire 
Cyprea moneta, four fragments of scraper made of Unzo 
shell, and three fragments of chank bangles ; associated 
with these were a neolithic celt,a fragment of a corn- 
crusher, some pottery, and two metal fragments, one 
being possibly part of a bronze ring.” A further discovery 
of the money-cowry is recorded from Damnagar, Amreli 
Prant, Kathiawar, where two examples were found 
associated with a great number of fragmentary chank 
bangles, a basalt corncrusher, a bloodstone hammer, and 
chert and agate cores (Hornell, p. 57). The example of 
C. moneta figured by Hornell on plate V., (3456-13) is of 
great interest from the fact that the back of the specimen 
has been rubbed down in the characteristic Ancient 
Egyptian and East African fashion. 
In dealing with the money of India prior to Alex- 
ander the Great, Del Mar (o/. ce¢.) states that : “In Bengal 
the principal money finds have been of cowries, the 
metallic monies being comparatively few” (p. 66). And 
125° Madras lishertes Bulletin, No. 7, 1914. 
