Keychain "Buddha" made of the famous black Tahiti shell

Tahiti (/təˈhiːti/; French pronunciation: ​[taˌiti]) is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia; this overseas collectivity of the French Republic is sometimes referred to as an overseas country. The island is located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the central Southern Pacific Ocean, and is divided into two parts: The bigger, northwestern part Tahiti Nui and the smaller, southeastern part Tahiti Iti. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous with surrounding coral reefs. The population is 183,645 inhabitants (2012 census), making it the most populous island of French Polynesia and accounting for 68.5% of its total population.[

The shell (or snails also known as "snail") is one of limestone (calcite and / or aragonite) and other minerals existing (mostly) external skeleton, which is made by a mollusk (tribe of Mollusca). The shell gives the animal strength and protects the animal against external influences such as predation, injuries, dehydration, etc. The shell grows during the life of the mollusk. The science that studies all aspects of mollusks, called malacology. A branch of the malacology which only deals with the shell is called conchology. Previously it was considered wrong to state that malacology was not involved with the shell and the distinction between malacology and conchology was made by some very sharp. In current practice, the terms are often interchangeably, and they are more or less considered as synonyms. Shells can be used for the hardening of a passageway, which is then sometimes called a "shell path" is mentioned. Also, shells can be burned to lime shell, which is often used as a building material in the past, was used instead of cement.