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Art. YII. — A. Matsiimura ; 



grain, salt and other foodstuffs, cattle or even shives were chosen 

 for the purpose. This is the origin of money in primitive com- 

 munities. Later rare things came to be prized just Mke the com- 

 modities above mentioned ; the " Palau money " greatly valued and 

 worn as ornament by the women may be cited as an instance. At 

 first sight, the stone money in Yap has no other object except that 

 of serving as currency like coins in civilized countries. The stone 

 wheels, however, are greater in value in proportion to their size 

 and fineness in manufacture, and they are arranged out of doors. 

 Judging from the circumstance that all varieties of primitive money 

 possessed some inmiediate practical value as an ornament, food- 

 stuff, etc., it may be proper to conclude that, besides possessing 

 the function of currency, the stone money of Yap served also as 

 ornament, displaying the wealth of its owner. 



3. Shell Money in Yap. — Two varieties of shell money are 

 found in circulation in Yap, together with stone money. They are 

 of bivalves connnonly called pearl-shell, consisting of large shells 

 and smaller ones. The fact that the natives call the large ones 

 " Palau shells " indicates that they are not found in Yap, a reason 

 for their being as valuable as money. As for the shape of 

 shell money, the parts that form the hinge and also the edges 

 opposite are left intact, while the sides are generally cut straight. 

 Any injury to the edges left in a natural state will lessen the value 

 of the money. The piece thus treated has then a hole bored in 

 the umbo or on the hinge of the valve for passing a string or 

 cord through it. In the case of so called " Palau shells," a single 

 piece is of enough value to be used as money ; but in the case of 

 smaller ones, six or seven pieces are strung on cords in such a way 

 that each piece is about 18 cm. apart from the other. The length 

 of such a cord sometimes reaches 1*50 m. (Fig. 72). The larger the 



