money cowrie

Thân thiện

A merchant counts several money cowries on a market table.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of cowrie shell used as currency: The "money cowrie" refers specifically to the shell of a small sea snail (Monetaria moneta, formerly Cypraea moneta) that has been historically used as a form of money in various regions.

Usage

• The term "money cowrie" is used to identify both the specific mollusk species and its shell when discussed in historical, economic, or anthropological contexts related to traditional currency.
• It functions as a compound noun. The primary meaning is the object (the shell) used as money.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Archaeologists found strands of money cowrie in the ancient trade settlement.
  • Before the introduction of coins, the money cowrie was a common medium of exchange across parts of Africa and Asia.

Advanced Usage

• The "money cowrie" is a key artifact for studying pre-monetary economies and trade networks in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
• In historical texts, the term often appears in discussions about the shell money trade, which was extensive until the late 19th century.

Variants and Related Words

• Cowrie (noun): The general term for the glossy, often patterned shells of various sea snails, many of which have been used ornamentally or as currency.
• Shell money (noun): A broader term for any form of currency that uses shells, including but not limited to the money cowrie.

Synonyms

• Currency shell
• (scientific name)

Notes on Meaning

• The "money cowrie" is distinct from other cowrie shells due to its specific historical and economic role. Its value was not inherent but was socially agreed upon within the cultures that used it.
• This term almost exclusively refers to the shell in its capacity as a former monetary instrument.

Học thuật

Noun

1. cowrie whose shell is used for money in parts of the southern Pacific and in parts of Africa

Từ đồng nghĩa

• cypraea moneta