Egg-shaped with a flat underside, cowry (or cowrie) shells are commonly found on the beaches of Tabuaeran and also used in the handicrafts made and sold by residents. Long used in jewelry and other crafts, as well as a currency for some South Pacific peoples, the shells have beautiful shiny exteriors that are almost porcelain-like. In fact, the word porcelain derives from the Italian name for the shells, porcellana.
