600-Year-Old Chinese Coin Found In Kenya

Rowan · Post by **Rowan** » Thu March 14th, 2013, 8:07 pm

CHICAGO -- Scientists from Illinois have found a rare, 600-year-old Chinese coin on the Kenyan island of Manda.

The Field Museum in Chicago announced the find Wednesday. The joint expedition was led by Chapurukha Kusimba of the museum and Sloan Williams of the University of Illinois-Chicago. Researchers say the coin proves trade existed between China and eastern Africa decades before European explorers set sail.

Source

annis · Post by **annis** » Fri March 15th, 2013, 4:36 am

Fascinating. It's always been thought that the ancient Chinese traded with Africa, but this is concrete proof. The Chinese were keen traders from very early on and used the Silk Road as a means of contacting and trading with many other other cultures, including the ancient Greeks, who were also voracious traders and got everywhere from North and East Africa to India and even Britain.

DianeL · Post by **DianeL** » Fri March 15th, 2013, 6:48 pm

Rowan, very interesting thank you! annis, it is an intriguing prospect, and I was struck toward the end of the vid when it's mentioned that there aren't a lot of Chinese coins or artifacts found (I watched it yesterday, so have forgotten the exact wording). It actually seemed to say that yes, this was a new confirmation, but perhaps not the first time they've found artifact evidence of Chinese trade. I'm always frustrated when things like that are alluded to but not discussed - the problem with short-format stories! I tend to get fascinated by the implications and backstory.

annis · Post by **annis** » Fri March 15th, 2013, 9:57 pm

Shouldn't forget the role the Phoenicians played in ancient trade either, as a link between Africa, the Mediterranean/Middle East, Asia and the British Isles. Never fails to amaze me just how mobile and adventurous all those ancient traders were!