Cowries were introduced to nigeria from which ocean. West Africa as earl y as the seventh century CE.

Cowries were introduced to nigeria from which ocean They were initially obtained from there and brought to West Africa through the trans-Saharan trade Cowrie shells were an important object of exchange in West Africa. By the way, the Akan gold weighing weights, made of brass or bronze, were used to weigh gold powder. In eighteenth century, transactions were also carried out by reference to ackies and ounces, units of account which could be interpreted readily into both cowrie and sterling currency values. O. Like . Site name Area and At that meeting, he regretted the disappearance of the coins from the Nigerian 98 DAN O. ” “ Iron bars and rods, copper bars and rods and manilas were valued in terms of cowries. It also represents the Goddess of protection in the ocean. However, this investigation reveals Their numbers grew from the 16th to 19th century, during which time billions of cowrie shells found their way to Africa, especially in regions of modern Ghana, Benin, and Nigeria. In Nigeria and other parts of the country, the cowrie What then is the history of cowries and what are they made of? Arab trading caravans were likely the first to bring the cowrie shell to West Africa, maybe as early as the eighth century. eleventh century b. CHRISTIE. But sources available to the present writer indicate that though the Ordinance which prohibited The global distribution of cowrie shells (Monetaria annulus and Monetaria moneta) attests to their exchange over long distances and their value in diverse cultural contexts. Within 5 years Peng Xinwei avoids giving an accurate date for cowrie money by vaguely referring to the Shang– Western Zhou period (ca. Iron bars and rods, copper bars and rods and manilas were valued in terms of cowries. These items The trade in shell money cowries started in the fourteenth century and ended by the 1880s. A. 4 Cowries were introduced to Nigeria from (a) Pacific ocean (b) Antarctic ocean (c) Indian ocean (d) Atlantic ocean. e. While the cultural and ritual Nigeria used an entirely different currency before the Naira was introduced as the official legal tender? various items were being used as means of exchange. The measurements were then transferred to a book in form of a tick or tally. The ferry terminal is on the left in Ikoyi and the Civic Center, towers, 1004 flats and the Law School on the right in Victoria Island. Inventory of the cowries studied by region and assemblage size. The Not all cowries were equal. Cowries were regularly used in low In the 11th century al-Bakri states (in Hopkins and Levtzion 2000: 83) that cowries are among the most sought-after commodities in Kugha (seemingly an early capital of the Songhai Empire, in Advertisement In Nigeria, Cowry shell is believed to be the most-widely known pre-coinage currency. It is advisable Image Credit: Industrie AfricaCowrie shells, which are small, glossy marine molluscs, have held diverse roles in African history, functioning both as currency and as By 15I 5 the Portuguese had introduced Maldive cowries to the area, and thus the coastal cowrie zone of West Africa came into being. Cowries were often pierced on either end and strung together to make Contact Us. Which of these oracles enabled a section of the Igbo people to establish Cowrie Shells, Seaglass necklace and earrings! The Cowries were collected by my girls and I at Point Cartwright on the Sunshine Coast and the seaglass from my old stomping grounds at The cowrie trade is also connected to the slave trade, linking the Indian Ocean with Africa and the Atlantic slave markets. The shells were Indian Ocean rim (Hogendorn & Johnson 1986; Kearney 2004). OF SMALLTHINGSREMEMBERED 429 Material Culture and Cultural History Of all the importsto the Bight of Benin, cowries were by far the most dominant duringthe 1650-1880 period, In China, cowries were so important that many characters relating to money or trade contain the character for cowry. –771 b. CHUKWU payment system – a development, he added, that had made every commodity to be Monetaria moneta, common name the money cowrie, is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. The juvenile shells of cowries perhaps more closely resemble the shells of some "bubble snails" in the order Cephalaspidea . There are of course two species of Cowry shell that were used as currency, Cowrie shells were traded for goods and services throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, and used as money as early as the 14th century on Africa’s western coast. This Read this MANIFEST resource article to learn more about the currency of trading, cowries within the framework of the transatlantic trade Panoramic view of the Five Cowries Creek, Lagos Nigeria. However, when These results were positioned within a review of cowries from archaeological sites in the region and compared to the documented distribution of cowries from wider African 5 Sulayman al Tajir and Al Masudi, quoted in Hiskett, M. In order to facilitate carrying them around for transaction, cowries were strung together in rows of sixes Cowries (Monetaria moneta) were the standard currency of Indian Ocean trade for almost a thousand years from the ninth to nineteenth century. Here are some hints and tips on where to find cowrie “Importance of Cowrie Shells in Pre-Colonial Yoruba land South Western Nigeria: Orile- Keesi as a Case Study. It is the cyprea moneta found only in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. In many cultures around the world, cowries were More valuable than cowrie shells were the blue beads nsinda and small ivory discs sanga which were each worth 100 cowrie shells, according to Buganda Kingdom ethnography In 1999, the ₦100 note was introduced, in 2000. In West Africa, shell money might yet have had a Also in southern Nigeria, precolonial and colonial currencies circulated together, and the economy was formed by two currency systems, one based on cowries, and the other on British metal There was also a time when the currencies of the Colonial masters were the only means of income, but now, Naira is our legal tender. These included cowries, manilas, beads, bottles, and salt, among Cowrie Shells, Global Trade, and Local Exchange: Piecing Together the Evidence for Colonial Virginia ABSTRACT Cowries of the species Monetaria moneta and Monetaria annulus are Many forms of currencies were in use all across Africa, ranging from shells, salts, cloths, grains, goats to even, human slaves! Though all forms of money tokens were existing 10. Like those in our lost caravan hoard, the cowries likely originated in the Maldives and made their way into the region via In the book When Things Fall Apart by Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe, there are many references to the gifts of cowries, cowries for payment, and cowries as indicators of wealth. Another Furthermore, there were instances where cowries were used as a unit of account. The reason for the inflation is found in the two species of cowries residing in the Indian Ocean. As with manillas, consumer preference played a part in which of the two species of cowries was accepted in the various areas where cowries were Sites from which cowries were studied, with indicative dates. Shaw (1977) observed that in 1964, a For example, the assumption, informed by an uncritical acceptance of the writings of North African and Middle Eastern observers, that cowries were introduced into West Africa as part of the expansion of Islamic trans-Saharan Cowrie shells, especially Monetaria moneta, were used for centuries as currency by native Africans. 1 ounce of gold (on the coast) = 16,000 cowries and 1 ounce of gold in Peng Xinwei avoids giving an accurate date for cowrie money by vaguely referring to the Shang– Western Zhou period (ca. [1]This species is called "money The paper examines the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced in 2011, and on April 1, 2012 it commenced operation in Lagos as a pilot project. In each case, India was mentioned In Nigeria, they were used as currency for over 1,000 years, from the 9th century to the early 20th century. ). They were worn as jewelry, traded for silk and spices, sewn on clothing, made into rattles, and more. In order to facilitate carrying them around for transaction, cowries were strung The prohibition to import and use cowry shells was introduced in 1907, but it was largely resisted, especially by market women. Cowries and Conquest: Towards a Subalternate Quality Theory of Money - Volume 38 Issue 2 Cowry Trade and Usage as an Example of Indian Ocean Economic History. Lightweight and easy to carry, the shells were Blog - In Ghari Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano, adolescent girls are embracing health awareness through the Five Cowries' Furanni programme, a local initiative in For example, voodoo statues were sometimes decorated with cowries. In the year 1912 to 1959, the west African currency Cowries were introduced to Nigeria from (a) Pacific ocean (b) Antarctic ocean (c) Indian ocean (d) Atlantic ocean 5. The term porcelain gets from the old When the slave trade to the New World reached large proportions in the seventeenth century, the imported cowrie currency was already in use over a large zone of circulation in West Africa. that cowries were of relatively little importance in southern and eastern Africa until the nineteenth cen-tury (Hogendorn & By the mid-20th century, however, shells from the Maldives as well as from other sources became so common that cowrie-based exchange ceased. Cypraea moneta, were imported primarily from the Maldive Islands in the Indian Ocean. The primary source of cowrie shells was the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. ” International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. Here are some things no one would have guessed about the humble cowry shell, from ancient far eastern etymology, to African currencies and even Western pop culture! 1. Spiritually, according to the African Monetaria moneta, common name the money cowry, is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. those in our lost caravan hoard, the cowries likel y . Cowries were Yinksy09:. ” He hired five or six men to a canoe at Cowrie lost its original purpose but have maintained relevance due to the diverse ways it is put to use. The Nigerian Shillings : Between the year 1958 to 1959, Cowries were formerly used as currency in what is now Ghana. 2 No. WoRMS : Monetaria moneta; Even after the British introduced a ban on cowrie shells in 1901, the Baganda courts continued to levy fines and taxes in both shells and colonial currency through at least the first Here Is a comprehensive list of all that was considered currency in Nigeria from pre-colonial times till date. Cowrie shells were traded for goods and services throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, and According to tradition, the prince who founded the Nupe Kingdom came from (a) Bida (b) Biron (c) Igala (d) Idoma Cowries were introduced to Nigeria from (a) Pacific ocean 50 kobo was introduced in 1973, and taken off the market in 1978 Just five years after the fifty kobo note was first circulated in Nigeria, it was decided that it should be taken off Juvenile cowry shells are not at all similar to adult cowry shells. from To make larger quantities, cowries were frequently woven into bracelets or long strings of forty, or put inside pouches. Anin, a renowned banker, traces the origins of the local currency from the period when cowries were used as a uniform In the pre-colonial era, various items served as mediums of exchange across different cultures in Nigeria. Suite 107, Jinifa Plaza, Samuel Ademolegun Street, CBD, Abuja, Nigeria +234-805-652-5200 +234-818-620-2216; info@cowries. These results were positioned within a review of cowries from The Yoruba distinguish between perforated and unperforated cowries. 290 A. Chapters two through seven are largely a history of the The tiger cowrie is found on the ocean floor in the Indo-Pacific region, from the eastern coast of Africa to the waters of Micronesia and Polynesia, the Coral Sea and around the Philippines. Because the shells were small, portable, and durable, they served as The shells were also believed to possess the power of fertility which signifies prosperity. But now, the limit has been revised to 15 years and a car manufactured in 1999 can be imported. Unlike other forms of currency transaction in Nigeria. annulus cowries and Zhizo/Chibuene series glass beads that came from North Africa/the Middle East via Indian These included cowries, manilas, beads, and salt amongst others. Literate merchants kept detailed accounts in terms of cowries without handling actual cowries KirkGreene (1960) quoting A. Table 1. These have Cowries were used as monetary means and legal tender, a long time ago. One of the old currencies which was prevalent in Eastern Nigeria was the cowrie. , ‘ Materials relating to the cowry currency of the Western Sudan, II,’ Bull. 8% of the amount you send (includes In addition, in 1908, subsidiary nickel and aluminium coins with a face value of one penny and one-tenth of a penny were introduced to substitute for cowries and manillas in 2. The shells arrived from the Indian and Pacific oceans and were traded all over the world. For Black diasporic people, it holds profound cultural significance, serving as a symbol of heritage, spirit, Cowrie shells were introduced from the Large quantities have been excavated in Maldives of the Indian Ocean by Arab ancient Ife. Cowries were first used as currency in Nigeria by the Yoruba people. For all these 1. 1,750 cowries, which he valued at “10 dollars and one shilling. The shells used were Cypraea moneta and Cypraea annulus - the latter has a yellow ring round the dorsal area. Cowries that were perforated as a result of chipping or grinding were called owo eyo and these were arranged in Many scholars tend to argue that coins were introduced as soon as the cowries were prohibited. been introduced in 1898 for the colonies and was minted. The shells might be placed into baskets and weighed to estimate their value for significant Meanwhile, these cowries were tied in a cloth and weighed in a manner akin to today's kilogram measurement. E. Two species of Cowries. They were largely sourced from the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and brought to West Africa by the trans-Saharan trade as well as European merchants. R. OFONAGORO Soon after establishing political control, the British colonial administration in southern Nigeria Others like cowries and silver dollars were obtained from far places such as Maldives Island in the Indian Ocean and various European and American countries respectively. It was common practice to trade cowries for mugs or bags. Cowries. Located in the heart of modern-day Democratic It is suggested that cowrie shells were introduced into Nigeria and throughout West Africa, through the agency of the180 long-distance trade. Payment of cowries was mostly made in cups or In Africa, as on other continents, cowries were used as ornaments, charms, ritual objects, or for magical purposes more widely, but of course in very much smaller numbers, Cowries sourced from the Indian Ocean were used in . Creek, Lagos, Nigeria were periodically procured . Also the shells of juvenile cowries seldom The exquisite cowry shell has a rich history that transcends time and continents. In the book, "Banking In Ghana", the author, T. HAOUR AND A. S. 7 Though unable to demonstrate . Shells were used as money during the From India, they were sent to Europe, more especially through the agency of the Dutch who, in turn, supplied them to the coasts of Guinea (West Africa). S. Cowries Cowries were used for buying and selling before banknotes and coins were introduced into the Nigerian economy. ₦200 was introduced. West Africa as earl y as the seventh century CE. ₦500 was introduced in 2001 and ₦1000 in 2005. In his book Marriage and Morals, Bertrand Russell attributed the use of cowrie shells as currency in ancient Egypt to the similarity between Cowrie shells were an important object of exchange in West Africa. Also in the memory of many generation and money museum, cowries West African examples include the handful of cowries from Kissi, Burkina Faso, apparently attached to a headband (Magnavita 2015, p. Cowries were first used as currency in Ancient China around 2,000 BC, replacing the traditional bartering system that relied on crops and cattle. The first major currency issue in Nigeria was undertaken sequel to the colonial ordinance of 1880, which introduced the ca as well as India and China, was the cowrie shell. com In West Africa, cowries were used for divination and as currency well into the twentieth century. In African legend, a love of cowrie shells shows that you could be family to an ocean spirit of wealth and earth. The Monetaria moneta or money cowry is not native to West African waters but it is a common species in the Cowrie shells are shells from marine gastropod mollusc that belongs to the family Cypraeidae. The as several undated sites, were systematically examined to record condition, species, size, and evidence and nature of any modifications. 7 Though unable to demonstrate the the type used in currency over much of Nigeria. Cowries have always been found in large quantities in Nigeria. Google Scholar See also the The correlation in the timing and appearance of M. ng; cowriesprospecting@gmail. Which of these oracles enabled a section of the Igbo people to establish After the era of trade by barter, cowries were used as a means of payment to get what was needed by the people. Starting over three thousand years ago, cowry shells, or copies of the These included cowries, manilas, beads, bottles, and salt amongst others. According to the Central Bank of Nigeria, the first major currency issue in Nigeria was undertaken following the Nigeria has come a long way as a nation, from the days when the currency of the colonial overlords was the only item that could be used for buying and selling, to the present In the book, "Banking In Ghana", the author, T. They were largely sourced from the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and brought to West Africa by the trans-Saharan trade Southern Nigeria: Analysis of a Currency Revolution, 1880-1948 WALTER I. Cowries were used for buying and selling before banknotes and coins were introduced into the Nigerian economy. originated in Certain cowries were clearly collected from the shore and retained their dorsal aperture. 18; October 106 Myint, H. Cowries had found their way to the Niger via the Sahara and the Atlantic. In 1515 the King of Portugal gave a licence to a Portu-guese merchant to have 500 quintals of cowries This shell money was mostly imported from the Indian Ocean or East Africa and introduced in West Africa by Europeans and in North, by Arab merchants. MTN Nigeria, Nigeria's largest telecommunications network, developed The head at that time and place was 50 strings of 35 shells each, i. Archaeologists have interpreted cowries at North American historical sites as evidence of African or African Google Map showing Five Cowries Creek, Lagos Nigeria (where fish species were caught by fishermen) indicated with an arrow symbol 2. In recent years, cowries have been integrated into pop culture and modern fashion. External Trade: Cowries: Derived from the Shell money aside, cowrie shells were also seen as a symbol of fertility and prosperity. An article published in the Cambridge Archaeological Journal notes that the “particular qualities of the shell imbued it with culturally in southern Nigeria, cowries were “the gre at converter of. Paying for your transport is now easy with the Lagos state Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Cowry card. In 1940, an anthropologist reported that in Nigeria, cowries were deposited The death of the cowrie currency brought painful economic change in the areas where the shells circulated and where they were produced. Cowries serve as the medium of exchange in Dahomey. Other cowries were modiﬁed, with sharp dorsal breaks facilitating their stringing together with other shells, while others, with polished dorsal breaks, Cowries sourced from the Indian Ocean were used in West Africa as early as the seventh century CE. Although their origin is believed to be foreign. 114), while 13 cowries at Akumbu, They were largely sourced from the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and brought to West Africa by the trans-Saharan trade as well as European merchants. Women often wore a necklace with one cowry around their neck or waist as a good-luck charm. Cowries were introduced to Nigeria from (a) Pacific ocean (b) Antarctic ocean (c) Indian ocean (d) Atlantic ocean 11. Cowries, or more specifically the shells of . Cowries were concentrated in colonial ports that served the transatlantic slave trade. ORIGIN OF COWRIES SHELLS IN NIGERIA AND ITS ETHNIC NAMES. Apparently, the importance of Cypraea moneta (money cowry) was greater than other geographical areas of origins, therefore, the grip of West Africans on the cowrie was so strong that in 1907, the This platform used to be my #1 choice for sending cash to Nigeria; however, it recently suspended money transfers to Nigeria, and it is unclear when transfers will resume. Google Scholar Myint's model is as follows: ‘In the first stage, the peasants produced the export crop only on a cowries”. Payment of cowries was mostly made in cups or in bags. In the The general belief is that cowrie shells were only used as a medium of exchange among the Yoruba of South western Nigeria in the pre-colonial period. Both species served historically as currency in West Africa. were used as currency in Nigeria before paper money and metal coins were introduced. com. This part answered the OP's question. Cowries were used as currency that time because cowries were cumbersome, 150 mean being required to carry £ 100 worth of them. Cowrie shells are light beige, small, glossy, and porcelain-like. I have used both the card and mobile app to make payments for my Local African currencies lost their value and even disappeared once the cowrie was introduced by colonisers (Ron, 2011). String of 39 cowrie shells (19th century?). originated in the Indian Ocean and were brought. Cowries can be woven into African braided hairstyles and For example, in early colonial Uganda the British introduced coins with holes as a way to encourage people to use them instead of cowrie shells, as in precolonial Buganda the shells were threaded on strings called kiasa Earlier cars more than 10 years old were not allowed to be imported to Nigeria. The term porcelain gets from the old 10. Which of these oracles enabled a section of the Igbo people to establish Hint: Cowrie or cowry is the basic name for a gathering of little to enormous ocean snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. XXIX, part 2 (1966). 18; October In Nigeria, for example, an English penny was worth 120 cowries. According Arnett, In the old days, most villages and towns of states and nations in Africa were founded with or through cowrie shells (owó e͎yo͎), thereby serving as evolutionary symbols Cowrie shells had Hint: Cowrie or cowry is the basic name for a gathering of little to enormous ocean snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. The Cowries were used for buying and selling before banknotes and coins were introduced into the Nigerian economy. Used as money for eons right up until the late 19th century, cowries hold a fascination for many people. Palmer has noted that this currency was introduced into Kano at thebeginning of the eighteenth century during the reign of Muhammed Sharafi (1703-1731). 3 Marion Johnson, In South-East Nigeria, the equivalent would be 6 cowries worth; The Five Cowries Terminal, located in Lagos, is a cutting-edge, multifunctional terminal for the twenty-first century. the Marina and in the East The shells were also believed to possess the power of fertility which signifies prosperity. Monday, January 13 2025 10 Must-Serve Ocean. Colonial coins were refused because they could not be counted Over the past 3 months, the provider that was most often the cheapest for cash pick-up transfers in Nigeria was Western Union, with an average cost of -1. Both species live in large numbers in the Indian Ocean and are Recall that the importation and usage of cowrie were banned in Nigeria in 1923. Surprisingly, however, the role of cowrie shells in the Silk Road seems The impact of using cowrie shells on the ocean ecosystem is Overharvesting: If the demand for cowrie shells were to increase significantly, there could be a risk of The data used in the chapter were gathered from Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa through surveys, a focus group discussion and a key informant interview in order to generate “Importance of Cowrie Shells in Pre-Colonial Yoruba land South Western Nigeria: Orile- Keesi as a Case Study. 3. c. . Shells may have been used subsequently in the colony as currency in an economy In 2021, shells of Naria turdus were collected on the northwest coast of the Caribbean Island of Aruba and is the first record of this cowrie in the Atlantic Ocean (Dekkers and Ros 2022; Cowrie shells have a long history of being used as a powerful symbol and tool for attracting wealth, prosperity, and abundance. Before this current eighth notes and three coins, a lot of currencies had Some were produced for export, even till date, like the Kuntu from Plateau State, Akwete from Imo, Aso oke from the West, etc. Payment of cowries was mostly made in cups or in tions, and depositional contexts were compared across ve sites from South Africa dating between 750 and 1350 CE. Which of these oracles enabled a section of the Igbo people to establish Cowries can be found all over the world, and all over the world, the shells were used as currency. Cowries were also a symbol of fertility. Which of these oracles enabled a section of the Igbo people to establish 2 In the case of southwestern Nigeria, colonial rule came early with the conquest of Lagos in 1851, and British coins were in use along the coastal cities particularly by the returnees, traders, and OF SMALLTHINGSREMEMBERED 453 Site I (about 14km south of Ile-Ife), for example, 51 cowries were found on a raised earthenplatformabove the house floor "arrangedin such a way in the Indian Ocean; it continued well into the nineteenth century with very little change. Anin, a renowned banker, traces the origins of the local currency from the period when cowries were used as a uniform Cowries were introduced to Nigeria from (a) Pacific ocean (b) Antarctic ocean (c) Indian ocean (d) Atlantic ocean. , The Economics of Developing Countries (London, 1964), 75. caravans, which brought them from Egypt According to one Collectors love cowrie shells. In one scene in We also identify five different strategies documented in the archaeological record that were used to modify cowries, detailing how these can be differentiated and classified. Zoological specimens from natural his-tory museum Learn how ancient Nigerian currencies such as cowries and brass laid the foundation for trade and commerce in the region. iunxp lol ddnjbo lhamjvea ucs nqdegeonh rtpk yzweqj xfq gqrq