- By Sue deGuzman
- Posted Monday, December 1, 2025
Learn about cowries and their role in tracing the African Diaspora
Join us for an interactive lecture about African archaeology, specifically the role that cowrie shells play in tracing the African diaspora, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Lewisville Branch Library.
Dr. Andrew Gurstelle of Wake Forest University's Lam Museum of Anthropology will be the presenter. Cowrie shells were used as currency and circulated throughout the African continent, according to Gurstelle, as well as in both the medieval gold trade and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. To this day, they remain a symbol of culture, fashion, and wealth in Africa and throughout the world.
Objects from the museum that feature the distinct shells will be on view during the program.
Cowrie Shells and the African Diaspora
Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 at 6 p.m.
Lewisville Branch Library Auditorium
Registration is requested. Registration opens Jan. 2, 2026,
online or by calling the Lewisville Branch at 336-703-2940.
Caption: Both the cowrie shell collar necklace and "Bwoom" mask are from mid-20th Century and created by an unknown Kuba artist from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Photos supplied by the Lam Museum of Anthropology, Wake Forest University.
