A Papua New Guinea Kina Shell breast plate ‘Kina shells’ is the name for these crescent-shaped cut and polished clam shells of the yellow-lipped clam. They are worn by the men in the highlands of New Guinea as ornaments for the neck or chest and even to this day used as a means of payment (‘primitive money’) in the payment of the ‘bride price’. These shells were traded from the New Guinea coast into the highlands. Incidentally: even today, the currency of Papua-New Guinea is called ‘kina’. The plaited carrying strap made from the twisted plant fibre bands. The shell and strap coloured red with ochre for decoration.