Additional information
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Ancient Igbo Currency with Knobbed Ends
The smelting of copper has ancient roots in the Africa. The metal’s desirability as a malleable, durable material and the specialization required in extracting it from ore available only in certain locations were the key motivators in the development of trans-continental trade. In the absence of an adequate system of intra-coastal waterways, transporting raw copper between markets required that the material be formed into consistent units and into shapes that could be easily transported. With no beasts of burden capable of surviving the tse-tse fly and other hardships of the tropical forests, the task of moving metal from place to place fell solely on the shoulders of men and women. Toward those ends African copper smiths devised ways in which to commodify copper ingots into consistent, identifiable shapes and sizes capable of being strung, bundled, worn or aligned on poles for journeys lasting hours or weeks.
Among the most basic ways to transport copper and its alloys was by hammering ingots into bars, forging those bars into rods and winding those rods into coils. These coils were formed in consistent diameters and lengths and if desired cut into segments to make smaller and more manageable units such as bracelets and rings. They could also be melted down or hammered out, formed an reformed in myriad ways.
As with any craft, some metal smiths were more talented than others. A few perfected their skills to such a degree that they were able to engage in the creation of objects of astounding beauty and achievement none of their fellows could replicate. These individuals could stretch bars into wire, braid those wires into copper rope, fold them over and create marvelously inventive torques, anklets and armlets unique unto themselves.
12″
