Shell Money

The number and type of adornments worn on the body are important indicators of a Melanesian man’s or woman’s social standing. Beads or bands of multicolored shells and mother-of-pearl inlay, such as this example, required not only artists’ slow, meticulous work but also the labor and technology necessary to obtain these precious materials. Each of the Solomon Islands produces distinct types and styles of adornment. Personal ornaments like this band could also serve as currency, circulating great distances across many islands. Currency such as this would allow the purchase of goods or formation of relationships between groups during ceremonial exchanges.