Recently I got a donation including two small conus shell hair ornaments from Mauritania, West Africa.

Using a loupe I saw some strange ridges on the inside of the smallest one (Ø 15mm) which could not happen when perforations were drilled in a shell conus. But it cán happen with a hot iron spike piercing plastic. And that was the clue. To my surprise the ornament was cut out of a small piece of plastic.

The second piece (Ø 19 mm) was even more surprising to me. It was cut in a white plastic screw cap. I love these kind of discoveries!