Ancient, British and World Coins, British Trade Tokens, Tickets and Passes, Numismatic Books

East Africa, Arabian necklace of circular green glass Trade Beads strung on thick fibre, approx. length 32cm (Quiggin pp.38-43, 102). Very fine (£100-120)

Plate IX. The glass beads brought to Africa by Arabs for trading are thought to have been of Venetian origin. Normally blue or red but known in other colours, they quickly became current alongside cowries, hoes and other forms of currency