Western Zhou Dynasty Deer Bone Cowrie-Shell Imitation

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Sallent, Jun 9, 2017.

  1. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    Here is a piece of ancient Chinese proto-money dating back to near 3,000 years ago. Some poor deer did not die in vain, for 3 millennia later he is still immortalized in a coin collection on the other side of the world, and shared on the internet. Not to mention he is now residing in beautiful south Florida. Bet he never thought he'd get to crash all day in south Florida some day (well, a bone fragment of him if we want to get technical).

    bone crawry shell.jpeg Western Zhou Dynasty
    Deer bone cowrie-shell imitation
    1046-771 BCE
    O: Vertical cut through face, some horizontal scratches (cuts?)
    R: Blank as made
    Reference (?)

    I still dont have a reference for this, but I don't believe these shells were referenced in any catalog. Could be wrong.

    Please feel free to comment, correct me, post your own, etc.
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2017
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  3. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Cool beans, @Sallent ! Looks like you are scooping up some interesting tidbits of Ancient Chinese history. Nice! You need to go over there some time and see the place. Awesome country, huge, and incredibly varied - people, terrain, history... from 3rd World to incredibly Modern!

    My Bone:

    China ANCIENT Cowrie - BONE 2 holes for clothing or funeral bier 20mm Hartill 1-2v Coole 51-66.JPG
    China ANCIENT Cowrie - BONE 2 holes for clothing or funeral bier 20mm Hartill 1-2v Coole 51-66
     
  4. gregarious

    gregarious E Pluribus Unum

    very nice! and yours and Alegandrons is bone?!?.. hmmm maybe mine is made of bone also..i haven't ever broken it out of it's original window pkg i got it in...but dont' see how that would change anything. coins dumps shell money 007.JPG coins dumps shell money 006.JPG
     
  5. gregarious

    gregarious E Pluribus Unum

    after looking at your and Alegandron's i'm convinced mine too is bone,maybe older if color is any indication of age
     
  6. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    The color may have to do with burrial. Some of these were used as funeral offerings when someone died, and the bone will often take up strong colors from the minerals/metals in the tomb over thousands of years.
     
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  7. gregarious

    gregarious E Pluribus Unum

    ah, yes indeed big O, i was just inquiring on that in google world. i'm glad mine wasn't cleaned tho, but until now i assumed it was a shell. i have been made an ass of in a good way:)
     
  8. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    You need to gnaw on it... that is the only way to truly know... :D :D :D
     
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  9. gregarious

    gregarious E Pluribus Unum

    ahahaha! i would, but i aint' got any teeth:0
     
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  10. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    I already saw Chippy with intentions of stealing my 3000 year old piece of Chinese deer bone and chew on it.:wideyed:

    Look at those evil little eyes. You know he is up to no good. Stay away from my bone cowry-shell, Chippy. :rage:

    76194.jpg
     
  11. gregarious

    gregarious E Pluribus Unum

    ..the head-body ratio doesn't look right on Chippy.. did you get him a hair cut?
     
  12. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    Probably because you are seeing his body position out of context. Perhaps the original image will make more sense. My son apparently took it yesterday when he grabbed my camera without permission.

    I started playing with the image to test my background removal skills, and decided the finished product was good enough for my forum avatar image.

    IMG_1335 (3).JPG
     
  13. gregarious

    gregarious E Pluribus Unum

    O ok big O i see now:) he's a fine looking pup!
     
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  14. Loong Siew

    Loong Siew Well-Known Member

    Lovely bone specimens!! And in such top condition to moot.. after thousands of year still fully original and smooth..
     
  15. gregarious

    gregarious E Pluribus Unum

    ?
     
  16. Loong Siew

    Loong Siew Well-Known Member

    The cowrie bones.. OP and other shared posts.. a lot I came across had nasty chips and cracks due to being brittle and buried u see harsh soil
     
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  17. gregarious

    gregarious E Pluribus Unum

    ahso!
     
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  18. gregarious

    gregarious E Pluribus Unum

    ..you'll have to excuse me tonight Loong Siew. i'm at work right now and am having a hard time separating business and pleasure... i do stand up comedy at the club:p
     
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  19. Loong Siew

    Loong Siew Well-Known Member

    Haha.. no need for apologies.. break a leg tonight :cigar:
     
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  20. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Wow, if that happened, would he still be able to perform "Stand up Comedy"?
     
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