The Yap Stone Money Origin
Yapese legend tells of the origin of rai stones, the massive stone money for which Yap is famous. According to oral tradition, a legendary navigator named Anagumang led an expedition by raft and canoe to the islands of Palau, where the Yapese discovered limestone. Anagumang had his men carve the limestone into circular discs resembling the moon. The largest stones weighed several tons and required risky voyages of hundreds of kilometers across the open ocean. The stones were brought back to Yap on rafts, and many were lost at sea during storms. The value of each stone was determined not only b