Source: Cobden Centre
by Tim Price
“Roughly 90,000 years ago, something rather wonderful happened. The evidence lies in the form of a simple snail shell called Nassarius. This little shell can be found scattered across archaeological sites in Morocco, Algeria and Israel. These shells sport some holes that cannot have been made naturally. Some of them are smeared with red ochre. Almost certainly these shells were worn as beads, on a string. They offer evidence of early man’s interest in personal ornamentation, perhaps money – and trade. Some of the locations in which Nassarius has been found are as much as 125 miles from the nearest coast. These beads probably migrated, from hand to hand, by exchange. Modern man is hardwired to trade. The science writer Matt Ridley describes barter as ‘the trick that changed the world.'” (07/31/25)
https://www.cobdencentre.org/2025/07/the-trick-that-changed-the-world/