Description:

Kori Cowry Cowrey Cowries Cowrie
Cowry or cowrie, plural cowries, is the common name for a group ofsmall to large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the familyCypraeidae, the cowries. The word cowry is also often used to referonly to the shells of these snails, which overall are often shapedmore or less like an egg, except that they are rather flat on theunderside.

Many people throughout history have found (and still find) the veryrounded, shiny, porcelain-like shells of cowries pleasing to lookat and to handle. Indeed the term "porcelain" derives from the oldItalian term for the cowrie shell (porcellana) due to their similartranslucent appearance.[1] Shells of certain species havehistorically been used as currency in several parts of the world,as well as being used, in the past and present, very extensively injewellery, and for other decorative and ceremonial purposes.

Some species in the family Ovulidae are also often referred to ascowries. In the British Isles the local Trivia species (familyTriviidae, species Trivia monacha and Trivia arctica) are sometimescalled cowries. The Ovulidae and the Triviidae are somewhat closelyrelated to the Cypraeidae.