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Melanesien, Santa Cruz,

Is money culture?

People often say money was invented to make trade easier. But it may be more than that. In the Santa Cruz archipelago, people used money that took years to make. This money was made of feathers from up to 600 birds. Feather coils were actually a fairly impractical means of payment – but they were important cultural symbols.

Image rights: Jens Mohr, Ekonomiska museet - Kungliga myntkabinettet/SHM (CC BY 4.0)

Object number: 70063_KMK