This charming necklace is handcrafted from Ghanaian cotton and cowrie shells.

Cowrie – or cowry – shell is one of the longest and most successful universal forms of currency in the world. By the 18th century, the cowrie had become the currency of choice in West Africa. It maintained its status as a means of payment, and a symbol of wealth and power until the 20th century. Whilst they no longer serve as currency in West Africa, the shell has woven its way into the cultural fibre of Africa. After Ghana gained independence from the British, Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah replaced the British pound with a new national currency ‘cedi’ which is still used today. Cedi is the Akan (Twi) word for ‘cowrie’.