almost all the smart strands of shiny matching shell beads come from the Philippines - i have some too

First, Jamey, thank you for the ID! The size, shape, and color, do fit the turritella shell images that come up. Columnella is another matter! I got really gross images of nose surgeries! (ew) =8-0 And I still can't find images similar to my strand. Can't believe I have something that rare! :-}

Columella | Definition of Columella by Merriam-Webster

https://www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › columella
Columella definition is - the central column or axis of a spiral univalve shell.

Dear Luann
It was also my question for a time when I found Arab tourists looking for these shells. I didn't know them at all. But I found that they call it Arj Al Savahil. In recent years these shells became very expensive (old ones). And you may not believe someone asked me 15/000 US dollars for a piece. I got crazy I thought maybe he is playing with me but he was hard to sell. It is not my favorite bead to collect, and I was just curious to know the price. Later I found Stony ones comes from Afghanistan. It seems African told something about their supernatural power to Arab people, and that's the reason they are anxious to buy them. New shells and Stony ones are cheap in Iran but ,old ones no. Here are some pics. In southern part of Iran and close to the Persian golf , people find old ones in ancient tombs.
Best wishes
Ali

It looks like it could be some sort of sedimentary material, Posibly Coquina.
Coquina: is a sedimentary rock that is composed either wholly or almost entirely of the transported, abraded, and mechanically-sorted fragments of the shells of molluscs, trilobites, brachiopods, or other invertebrates. The term coquina comes from the Spanish word for "cockle" and "shellfish".

The link didn't display earlier
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coquina

I think I have tracked down what it is.
The fossil remains of turritella are the shells or the cast of shells from soft-bodied mollusks. Turritella are a type of sea snail with tall spiral shells. They vary in size from about 1/2 inch to 6 inches long.

Turritella is a genus of medium-sized sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turritellidae. They have tightly coiled shells, whose overall shape is basically that of an elongated cone.

http://whataearth.com/product/turritella-fossil

Hello DD,

The material you are discussing is routinely called "turritella marble"—and is a fossil material that is composed from very ancient turritella shells and fragments, now in a mineral base. This is not an uncommon stone. And it can be exploited from such large pieces that table tops can be made from it. (See the photo here, harvested from a Google search.)

Also beads (!).

However, the subject of this dialogue is the use of currently living turritellas, whose shells have been converted into ornaments. And, in particular, the columella has been isolated and made into pendants.

Jamey

Hello Ali,

I am not certain I am following your line of reason.

The columella of a turritella shell is conical—so it has one thicker/larger end, and proceeds down to a thinner pointy end.

The specimens you show are 1) of equal diameter all along their length; or 2) are CARVED from another material. The carved specimens may represent turritella columella ornaments, but they appear to be imitations.

In antiquity, there were both columella beads and glass imitations of them, that I believe may have been derived from (and inspired by) chank shell columellas. I show these in my paper on trade bead inspirations, for the Istanbul Bead Conference of 2007.

Jamey

Hi Jamey

Infact I just put some samples of what is selling I Iran Bazar as what you mentioned. Surely most of them are not shell at all and some green or grey Stones comes from Afghanistan. I have seen some real ancient shell ones but as I was not interested, in them , I gave them free to my friends. Till I found they cost alot in Persian golf. We are here to discuss about beads and I think you are one those that we can trust and accept scientific reasons.
Best regards

Ali

I saw a listing for Bagongon shell beads. If you see the 1st picture you can see the screw pattern callwd Archimedes screw in the second picture

I can see where mine come from....

I just can't figure out why they went to all the trouble of removing the outer shell layer, or how they did it, especially without breaking off random bits.

I don't think a paid an awful lot for the strand, but I haven't been able to google an image that looks like this strand.

I was going to sell them at my "artists garage sale" today, but I put them back instead. I appreciate all the images and information, and the initial ID from Jamey. Thanks, everyone!