Item number: A54

Year: AD 1600-1948

Material: brass

Size: 58.43 x 52.76 / 59.69 x 54.33 mm

Weight: 75.65 / 80.24 g

Provenance: Tribal Art Africa 2023

The shown objects are Birmingham Manillas, a form of currency with origins in West Africa. These decorative bracelets circulated and were used throughout various regions in Africa, particularly during the era of the Atlantic slave trade.

The name “Manilla” may derive from the Spanish word “mano,” meaning hand, or the Portuguese term for bracelet, “manilha,” implying that this form of currency was frequently worn on the wrist.

Manillas are typically crafted from materials such as brass, silver, copper, or other metals, adorned with various patterns that may symbolise social status, wealth, religious beliefs, and other aspects. In Africa, Manillas serve both as a form of currency and as socially significant and symbolic items used in ceremonies such as weddings and important rituals. During the Atlantic slave trade, Manillas emerged as a crucial commodity in the trade between Europe and Africa, particularly playing a pivotal role in the slave trade.

In AD 1856, British consul Fernando Po documented five types of Manilla currency in a report, categorising them based on criteria such as dimensions, appearance, and place of origin. The shown item falls under the classification of “Birmingham Manilla,” distinctive features such as a widened, flattened end and open, thin ring.

物件編號: A54

年代: 公元 1600-1948 年

材料: 黃銅

尺寸: 58.43 x 52.76 / 59.69 x 54.33 mm

重量: 75.65 / 80.24 g

來源: 非洲藝術部落 2023

此物件為伯明罕馬尼拉幣，馬尼拉幣是一種起源於西非的傳統貨幣形式，這些裝飾性的手鐲在非洲各地流通和使用，尤其在大西洋奴隸貿易時期。

馬尼拉幣的名稱可能來自西班牙語的「mano」，意指手，或者葡萄牙語中的手環:「manilha」，暗示了這種貨幣經常被戴在手腕上。 

馬尼拉幣通常由黃銅、銀、銅或其他金屬製成，裝飾著各種圖案，可能代表社會地位、財富、宗教信仰等。在非洲，馬尼拉是貨幣，也是社交和象徵性的重要物品，用於婚禮、贈禮、重要儀式。在大西洋奴隸貿易中，馬尼拉幣成為歐洲與非洲貿易的重要商品，尤其在奴隸交易中扮演關鍵角色。 

公元1856年，英國領事費爾南多· 波在一份報告中依照尺寸、外型以及產地等條件，列出五種馬尼拉貨幣的類型，此物件屬於「伯明罕馬尼拉幣」。此類的馬尼拉幣的特色為較寬且扁平的尾端與開放的細環。