Section: Social Complexity
Subsection: Forms of money

Token

tokens, unlike articles, are used only for exchange, and unlike coins, are not manufactured (example: cowries)   (See here)
Contributors:

Variable Definition
Polity The Seshat Polity ID
Year(s) The years for which we have the data. [negative = BCE]
Tag [Evidenced, Disputed, Suspected, Inferred, Unknown]
Verified A Seshat Expert has approved this piece of data.

Variable Definition
token The absence or presence of token for a polity.

# Polity Year(s) Token Description   Edit
141
(Qin Empire)
Full Year Range of Qin Empire is assumed.
[-338, -207]
present
None
142
(Eastern Zhou)
Full Year Range of Eastern Zhou is assumed.
[-475, -256]
present
None
143
(Kingdom of Jolof)
Full Year Range of Kingdom of Jolof is assumed.
[1549, 1865]
present
None
144
(Karagwe)
Full Year Range of Karagwe is assumed.
[1500, 1916]
present
None
145
(Kaabu)
Full Year Range of Kaabu is assumed.
[1500, 1867]
absent
None
146
(West Burkina Faso Red II and III)
Full Year Range of West Burkina Faso Red II and III is assumed.
[1100, 1400]
absent
None
147
(West Burkina Faso Red IV)
Full Year Range of West Burkina Faso Red IV is assumed.
[1401, 1500]
absent
None
148
(Malacca Sultanate)
Full Year Range of Malacca Sultanate is assumed.
[1270, 1415]
present
Cowrie shells were a ubiquitous form of currency in East Africa and gradually spread to West Africa during the Middle Ages. “As early as the 13th century, the proliferation of cowry shells as a dominant currency had taken place, mainly because of their import into Africa from different areas. First, Arab traders imported cowry shells from areas around the Maldives islands and the Indian Ocean into North Africa and, later, into other parts of Africa.”Cite error: Closing missing for tag
149
(Songhai Empire)
Full Year Range of Songhai Empire is assumed.
[1376, 1493]
present
None
150
(Second Turk Khaganate)
Full Year Range of Second Turk Khaganate is assumed.
[682, 744]
absent
None
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