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Cowrie State of Jin, Bone imitation, Green
| Issuer | Jin, State of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1046 BC - 771 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Cowrie (1) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Uniface; the reverse is plain and undecorated, retaining the natural convex curvature of the carved bone blank with no inscriptions, devices, or incised markings of any kind. |
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| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The State of Jin, carved from the territory granted to a son of King Wen of Zhou following the dynasty's founding around 1046 BC, used imitation cowries as a transitional monetary form during a period when natural shell supplies from coastal trade were increasingly insufficient for inland aristocratic economies. Bone imitations — cheaper and locally producible — filled that gap. The green coloration on surviving examples is post-depositional, typically the result of prolonged contact with bronze grave goods in burial assemblages, which is where nearly all specimens of this type are recovered.