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 Cypnea an inch in length, not improbably 

 derived from the Miocene beds of the Garonne. 37 



Since Christy's diggings in Laugerie-Basse, 38 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 39 dealing 

 with the finding of a human skeleton (the so-called 

 homme ecrasse) 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, Cypr<za pyruin, Gmelin (or rufa Lam.), and 

 Cyprcea 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 



' 7 Ibid., p. 179 (Text). 



88 Ibid., p. 288 (Text). 



30 E. Massenat, Ph. Lalande & Cartailhac, "Decouverte d'un squelette 

 humain de 1'age du renne a Laugerie-Basse (Dordogne)." Comptes Kendus 

 de FAcad. des Sciences, vol. 74, 1872, pp. 1060-3 ; also Paul Girod and E. 

 Massenat, " Les Stations de 1'Age du Renne dans les vallees de la Vezere 

 et de la Correze -Laugerie-Basse," Paris, 1900, pp. 24-5. Sollas ("Ancient 

 Hunters," 2nd Ed., 1915, p. 509, fig. 288) gives a figure (after Cartailhac) 

 of this interesting burial, with the associated shells. 



