1,200 BC: Cowrie Shells The first use of cowries, the shell of a mollusc that was widely available in the shallow waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, was in China. Historically, many ...

During Lakshmi Puja, devotees typically include five yellow cowries and nine Gomati chakras, which are wrapped in red cloth and stored in safes or cupboards. This practice is thought to ensure ...