You may have a vague understanding that cowries were once used as currency in ancient times. You might even associate cowrie shells with the Western culture in Nigeria, particularly among the Yorubas.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, amid the pomp of Donald Trump’s second inauguration, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson stood out from the crowd. Seated among a sea of white conservatives and ...

Cowrie shells have a long, layered history that stretches far beyond their recent resurgence in home decor. Long before they appeared on coffee tables, wall hangings, or sculptural objects, cowries ...

Through her Cowries by Ayankola Ayanwuyi is a Yoruba documentary on Eerindinlogun, also called Dilogun in Brazil. Eerindinlogun is a Yoruba system of sixteen-cowrie divination that carries centuries ...

This Diwali 2025, it’s not just about lights and laddoos; it’s about faith in the smallest things. Cowrie shells, known as symbols of Goddess Lakshmi, are believed to attract prosperity when placed in ...

Ifa concept of cosmology as basis for divination -- The use of ancestor reverance in divination -- Divination with four cowries -- Transposing four coweries into Odu -- Obi Abata -- Merindinlogun -- ...

Click to open image viewer. Among the Yoruba, individuals or groups seek solutions to serious problems through ifa divination. During the process, the diviner manipulates palm nuts and records the ...