Newsterm.blogspot.com: 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.
The coin is made of copper and silver. It has a square hole in the
center so it could be worn on a belt. Scientists say it was issued by
Emperor Yongle of China and his name is written on the coin.
Scientists
from Kenya, Pennsylvania and Ohio also participated in the expedition.
They also found human remains and other artifacts predating the coin.
