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Currency & Trade Site

Bida Glasswork and Bead Market

About

Bida in Niger State has been a center for glass bead production and trade since at least the 16th century. The Nupe people of Bida are the only known indigenous glass bead manufacturers in sub-Saharan Africa outside of East Africa. Glass beads (known as tso) served as currency, status markers, and diplomatic gifts across the Nupe Kingdom and beyond. The craft persists today in the Masaga quarter of Bida, where artisans use techniques unchanged for centuries.

Location Details

Latitude: 9.0833
Longitude: 6.0167

Exact (town level)

About This Data

Currency and trade sites represent locations associated with pre-colonial Nigerian economic systems and trade networks.

Locations are based on historical trade route documentation and archaeological evidence.

Sources

No sources documented

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