The Cowrie Islands

The significance of cowrie shells in early trade in these islands is stressed by the historian H. C. P. Bell, the anthropologist C. Maloney, and the archaeologist Thor Heyerdahl. The small cowrie shell had placed the Maldives on the map long before documented history began in the islands. Sulaiman the Merchant, an Arab trader and writer active between AD 850 and 900, records:

“They say that their number goes up to 1900. These islands separate two seas. They are governed by a woman.”

“In these islands, where a woman rules, coconut is cultivated. These islands are separated from one another by a distance of two, three or four parasangs (6–14 miles).”

“The wealth of the people is constituted by cowries, their queen amasses large quantities of these cowries in the royal depots. They say there is not in existence a people more industrious than these islanders.”

Ancient travelers and historians such as El Mas’udi, Al Idrisi, and Al-biruni wrote about the “Cowrie Islands.” Ibn Battuta, writing in 1343, and Ma Huan, a Chinese historian in 1433, describe the use of cowrie shells as a medium of exchange and currency, and their trade across the world with the people of Bengal, Yemen, Thailand, and other distant lands.

As the 15th century drew to a close, more European accounts of the Cowrie Islands emerged. In 1563, the historian J. de Barros noted the trade of hundreds of tonnes of cowrie shells to the Kingdom of Portugal, from where they were exported to Guinea and the Kingdoms of Benin and Congo, where they were also used as currency. He further explains the manner in which cowries were gathered: “large bushes of palm leaves tied together so as not to break, which they cast into the sea. To these the shellfish attach themselves in quest of food; and when the bushes are all covered with them, they are hauled ashore and the creatures collected.”

In more recent history, François Pyrard wrote in 1611 of forty ships carrying cowries from the Maldives to Bengal. Further reports by British parties as late as 1683 describe the difficulties of obtaining permission to load cowries onto their own ships in large quantities. It was around this time that cowries as a medium of exchange began to fade from use in the Indian Ocean.

In his research and travels, Heyerdahl speculated that the significance of cowries to the wealth of the Maldives dated back to the Indus Valley Civilization. Early records from the Gulf of Cambay mention ships carrying cowries from the Maldives, and during his visit to the prehistoric port of Lothal: a harbour city of Mohenjo-Daro and a major port around the time of its collapse between 2500 BC and 1500 BC; Heyerdahl observed archaeological evidence supporting this connection. The Lothal museum now holds treasures excavated from its wharfs, including an exhibit of Cypraea moneta, the Maldive cowrie, indicating that the traditional value of the cowrie had endured in this region for over 3,000 years.

A Continuation in Form: The Cowrie Islands Coin Pendant

The 1.8 cm d. Cowrie Islands coin pendant is crafted as a circular medallion, referencing early forms of coinage and trade tokens. At the centre, the cowrie shell is rendered in shallow relief, with controlled detailing and defined contours. The relief creates contrast between raised and recessed surfaces, allowing the art to remain legible without ornamentation. A simple outer border frames the central motif, with a uniform surface finish. The pendant is presented as a referential object, grounded in historical association, reflecting the longstanding role of the Cypraea moneta in Maldivian trade and economic history.

• Object: The Cowrie Islands Pendant
• Year created: 2023
• Designer: Raniya Mansoor
• Artwork: Imma Rasheed

A Continuation in Fine Art: ‘The Cowrie Isles’ Framed Sculpture

The Cowrie Isles framed sculpture (64 cm) is conceived as a square relief panel. Three cowrie forms emerge in shallow relief from a cracked, mineral ground, articulated through restrained raised and recessed planes. Fine fissures are selectively traced with gold leaf, creating quiet contrast and material hierarchy. Executed in acrylics and gold leaf on clay, sealed with a gloss varnish and set within a slim gold-toned frame, the work reflects the cowrie’s enduring role in Maldivian exchange systems.

• Work: The Cowrie Isles Framed Sculpture
• Year created: 2023
• Artist: Imma Rasheed

Editorial Note

This article is informed by the personal research and referenced source material compiled by Raniya Mansoor, co-founder of Oevaali Art Shop. It does not claim historical certainty or definitive conclusions. Some interpretations remain speculative or drawn from incomplete records. The piece is offered as a space for reflection and curiosity, inviting dialogue, questioning, and deeper engagement with Maldivian heritage.

Archival Context: 10th–5th centuries BCE: Early Indian Ocean exchange networks (with continued circulation through classical and Islamic maritime trade).

Reference

1. Heyerdahl, T. (1986). The Maldive mystery. Allen & Unwin.
2. Maloney, C. (1980). People of the Maldive Islands. Orient Longman.