Shell money | Photographer: Axel Killian
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Shell money
This polished fragment comes from a rare type of shell with red elements that can be used to make jewellery. According to the collector, they were mostly imported from the Caroline Islands. Due to their rarity, they were used for trade purposes and such pieces of jewellery are very valuable. Artefact II/0766a displays the original shell, II/0766b is another, less processed fragment of the shell. According to the collector, the amount of work was enormous, hours or days of work often went into a single piece of shell used as a chain link.
Data Provider
Städtische Museen Freiburg
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Cataloguing data
Object type
Muschelgeld
Dimensions
Breite: 60.0 mm, Länge: 90.0 mm, Tiefe: 45.0 mm
Material/Technique
Shell
Current location
Museum Natur und Mensch
Inventory number
II/0766 c
Related object(s)
is related to :
II/0766 a
is related to : II/0820
is related to : II/0780
is related to : II/0781
is related to : II/0820
is related to : II/0780
is related to : II/0781
Provenance and sources
when
before 1900
when
22.11.1901
where
Marshall Islands (location/origin)
Micronesia (location/origin)
Oceania (location/origin)
Provenance
Donated by Eugen Brandeis (Imperial Governor of the Marshall Islands) November 1901, collected by Antonie Brandeis (Jaluit) /Donated by Eugen Brandeis (Imperial Governor of the Marshall Islands) November 1901, collected by Antonie Brandeis (Jaluit)
Object no. 77 (Object list Antonie Brandeis, 2nd consignment Nov 1901, SAF C3/241/2): "Shell. The small pieces show the laborious way in which the chains are made. Only the red part of the shell is used. This shell is collected on some islands. It is used for export to the Marshall Islands and other islands, therefore very valuable."
According to the collector, this shell comes from the Caroline Islands, although it is not clear whether she received it from there or whether the shell already had previous owners in the Marshall Islands. Objects II/0766a+b are related.
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Legal status metadata
Related objects
The name of this item is missing in its original language. If you know the name or have any comments, please use the form to get in touch with the institution that provided the data.
The name of this item is missing in its original language. If you know the name or have any comments, please use the form to get in touch with the institution that provided the data.
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