New research published in Archaeology Magazine has mapped a massive 3,000-year-old trade network dubbed the 'Cowrie Trail.' By using isotopic analysis on thousands of cowrie shells found in ancient Malian and Nigerian settlements, scientists have confirmed that these shells originated in the waters of the Maldives, revealing a direct maritime link between the Indian Ocean and the sub-Saharan interior.
This discovery suggests that global trade networks were significantly more complex and far-reaching during the late Bronze Age than previously documented. The shells served as a form of proto-currency, facilitating the exchange of salt, gold, and textiles across thousands of miles of ocean and desert.