Counting rather than weighing
Metrological analysis and machine learning reveal the monetary potential of pre-contact Ecuadorian axe-monies
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6433778 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Carlos Eduardo Montalvo Puente (0000-0001-7212-1336, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Ecuador), Giancarlo Lago (0000-0001-6394-5296, University of Bologna, corresponding author), L Cardarelli (0000-0002-2436-9967, National Archaeological Museum), Angelo R Constantine-Castro (Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral), Juan Carlos Pérez-Molina (0009-0009-7438-8072, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 69 |
| Pages | 105525-105525 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Archaeological Science Reports (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2352-409X • E-ISSN: 2352-4103 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105525 |
| OpenAlex | W4416807041 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 23 |
Axe-monies are not weight-based money, showing bimodal dimensional regulation. • Weight analysis suggests no use of weighing technology in axe-money production. • Machine learning shows strong correlation between axe shape and dimensions. • Standardized form, dual size classes, and non-utilitarian features suggest use as money objects. This article investigates the potential monetary function of axe-monies from pre-contact Ecuador (500–1532 CE), a widely diffused and morphologically consistent copper-alloy artifact. Drawing on a dataset of 3,588 specimens, we employ a multidisciplinary approach combining metrological analysis, computer vision, and machine learning techniques to evaluate the presence of weight-based or dimensional standardization and morphological regularities. Our findings challenge the hypothesis that these objects were regulated by weight, as no metrological clusters emerge from the data. Instead, we identify two distinct dimensional classes and a high degree of typological consistency, suggesting intentional standardization based on form rather than mass, with triangular axes being the smallest and lightest, and those with a broad cutting edge and quadrangular heel the largest and heaviest.These results support the interpretation of Ecuadorian axe-monies as fiduciary currency, counted rather than weighed, and contribute to broader discussions on the emergence of money, measurement systems, and economic behaviour in pre-modern societies.
Consistency (knowledge bases) · Dual (grammatical number) · Function (biology) · Metrology · Multidisciplinary approach · Standardization · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis · Image Processing and 3D Reconstruction
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The introduction of coinage in Europe did not change pre-existing monetary patterns
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The Trade Theory of Money
The Use of Balances in Late Andean Prehistory (ad 1200–1650)
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Understanding money; Or, why social and financial accounting should not be conflated
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |