tour 1 of 13
The wealth of Africa
The Wealth of Africa
Africa's diverse currencies, both past
and present, reflect the continent's long, rich history.
Coins and banknotes used there reveal much about the place and time
in which they were created. Other forms of currency - such as
cowrie shells, cloth and manillas - give a further insight into
different cultures.
The
development of African money began with a system of weighted metal
in ancient Egypt. Coins were in circulation by the fifth century BC
and their changing designs reflect the coming of Christianity and
later the spread of Islam. Africa's power and influence
before the arrival of European colonisers and slave traders is
demonstrated by the wealth of Mali, Great Zimbabwe and the Swahili
Coast. In the twentieth century, independence and the end of
Apartheid have brought a new range of symbols to notes and
coins.
This tour examines
African money - and its links with history and identity - from
ancient to modern times. It was written to accompany the exhibition
The Wealth of
Africa, at the British Museum from 20
January to 26 June 2005.