Sumerian Shell Money

Sumerian Shell Ring Money

Over the last several years in the Near East, there have been occassional finds of ancient rings, circular sections cut from cone-shaped sea shells, polished, and used by the cultures of the time as a form of money.

The artifacts found at these sites date to 3500 - 3000 BC, the time of the Sumerian settlements and early cities in Mesopotamia. The shell rings were found in Syria and undoubtedly are from shells brought inland from the Mediterranean coast.

Contemporary with Ur, Kish, Larsa and other Sumerian cities in the south, there were large villages and cities in the north and west of the Fertile Crescent. The Syrian cities of Elba, Alalakhand, Ugarit were economically and culturally advanced and were part of the trade routes that ran over land to Assyria and along the Euphrates to Marl then south to Sumer.

International commerce in western Asia of the 4th Millennium did not use the medium of money. (Gold and silver coinage came into being in the late 7th century BC). Instead, there was an exchange of different commodities, value being determined by negotiation between merchants. For local transaction of smaller worth, and for the needs of daily life however, the Syrians used shell rings, usually carrying them on a necklace string. Thus these shell rings are a very early true currency. Guaranteed genuine!