The double-coned shells of carnivorous Conus snails have been turned into beads for thousands of years. The shells may be strung up whole, but it is more common to see only the spires used as Conus "discs" or "whorls", as displayed here. Conus discs were used as currency in Malawi and Zimbabwe prior to British occupation.

Content provided by: "Collectible Beads" by Robert K. Liu