Glossary · Term · currency
Manilla
A manilla was a horseshoe-shaped bracelet of copper or brass used as currency in West Africa. Manillas were introduced in large quantities through European trade, especially by the Portuguese, and were used in the Atlantic slave trade. In the Benin Empire, manillas were a medium of exchange and were melted down for the famous Benin bronzes.
Mentioned in 1 profile
See also
Cite this entry
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Manilla. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/manilla
- MLA
- “Manilla.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/manilla. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Manilla.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/manilla.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Manilla’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/manilla (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻