Use, alteration and imitation: cowrie amulets and the communication of Egyptian shell culture

<p dir="ltr">Shell culture, the non-culinary relationship between humans and molluscs, is expressed through art, representations and faunal remains. In the Egyptian record, one way in which shell culture is expressed is through the exploitation of shells to create beads for amuletic use. This thesis focuses on the use of cowrie shells and their imitations. Cowrie shells, the shells of the sea snail family <i>Cypraeidae</i>, were one of the most commonly employed seashells across cultures for both trade and amuletic purposes. They had great symbolic significance for much of the history of Ancient Egypt. Endowed with protective properties related to childbirth and fertility, cowrie shells and imitations thereof were used as jewellery, grave goods and seals.</p><p dir="ltr">This thesis explores how the development of the use, alteration and imitation of the cowrie shell during the late Old Kingdom impacted the communication of the cowrie symbol’s visual language. Through macroscopic and microscopic analysis, the techniques performed in cowrie alteration are established. It also explores the impact that the material and format of cowrie imitation had on expression. The thesis incorporates new theoretical approaches to amuletic research, like that of semiotics, the study of the communication of signs, to deepen our understanding of one of Egypt’s oldest traditions, taking a new approach to a neglected aspect of Egyptian life.</p>