Use of Cowry-shells for Currency, Amulets, etc. 177 
é y 6) ) rhe f 
that man is formed from a species of mussel and_ that 
1 A similar idea 
gods are present in some of the shell-fish. 
concerning the possibility of human beings living in shells 
is current among the Indians of the N.W. coast of 
America. According to the Haida and Kaigani the first 
people sprang from a cockle-shell."” 
In the Far East, cowries, both large and small, were 
used as a medium of currency long before the Christian 
era. Frequent allusions are made to them in ancient 
Chinese literature, but the authenticity of some of these 
records and of the dates assigned to the period when 
cowries were in use is open to some criticism. M. 
Terrien de Lacouperie’™ has presented us with some re- 
markable views on the origin of Chinese civilization, based 
upon the study of numerous Chinese works, and from his 
statements it would appear that cowries were used as 
money in China as early as 2,000 years B.C. But the 
fact that many of the works which he studied are, toa 
large extent, based upon tradition renders them unreliabie 
as evidence as to date. It seems certain, however, that 
cowries were in circulation among the people of Eastern 
China in the seventh century B.C., and the southern country 
of Ts’u figures largely in connection with supplies of these 
shells for currency. Contact with the west through sea- 
traders of the Indian Ocean (Erythraan Sea), who are 
claimed to have established a colony in the Gulf of Kiao- 
chou (South Shantung) in 675-670 B.c., had made them 
familiar with many western practices, and it is not im- 
probable that the use of the cowry was one of them. 
Some time about 600 B.c., the king of Ts’u issued two 
169 Turner, ‘‘ Samoa, etc.” London, 1884, pp. 8, 12 and 17. 
170 Niblack, ‘‘ The Coast Indians of Southern Alaska and Northern 
British Columbia,” Rept. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1887-8 (1890), p. 378. 
171 Terrien de Lacouperie, ‘‘ Western Origin of the Early Chinese 
Civilisation from 2,300 B.C. to 200 A.D.” London, 1894. 
