A type of glass bead, often striped or colorful, historically used in trade with African peoples.
Origin uncertain, possibly from an African language or Portuguese. The term appears in trade records from the 16th century onward, referring to decorative beads used as currency in West African commerce.
Aggry beads reveal a hidden history: Europeans thought they were trading worthless glass beads for gold and ivory, but Africans valued these beads for their own reasons—showing that 'value' is cultural, not objective, and what seems like cheating was actually cross-cultural exchange.
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