Amazing techniques used by ancient Africans to count and keep numeric records

Cowries

Cowries are marine molluscs which have a glossy, brightly patterned dome-shaped shell with a long, narrow opening. They were typically used in West Africa especially by Nigerian women. Trading on a large scale was the speciality of the Hausa, the Dyula and the Yarse and they practised bulk commodity barter that eventually became long-distance trade using cowries. They used Cowries to determine the worth of their sales at the end of the day. Cowries were soon seen as the equal worth to whatever they sold and was eventually accepted as a commodity worthy of exchange, thereby birthing currency. Other cultures in desert areas that did not have access to cowries used Ostrich eggshell beads as counters.