Sunday, May 31, 2009

The stone currency of the isle of Yap

The Atlas of Curiosities: Part 6

While in the state of Yap we were shown the remarkable form of currency used by the local population since antiquity.  Giant stone disks, crafted on Yap or on neighboring islands are valued not only based on their mass, but on their age and history.  Strangely, the money often changes hands without being moved, as it would take over twenty men to lift a single coin.  In past ages, we were told, the giant monies were moved by canoe, though today they are largely stationary.

Producing a coin from our treasury to show our host, we were met with laughter. “That is your great wealth?” he gasped. “That?”

Inquiring about the history of our coin, he was concerned to find that we could not tell him who the previous owners were, nor where the thing was made or during the reign of which ruler.