THE SILVERWARE SERIES

# 8 THE SILVERWARE BLACK MARKET

As Cave Commerce developed so did various Silverware Products including various lines of Sticks and Stones becoming more and more decorative and specialized. Most of the early versions had an ‘X’ scratched on them to identify the manufacturer. This worked for about 3-4 days and soon others were using the same mark on their inferior and copy-cat Sticks and Stones Silverware. This obviously would spin off into a Black Market for Silverware.

It wasn’t just the Sticks and Stones Silverware but also the leather pouch with a waist tie that were called Silverware Holsters that were being made and sold on the Black Market. Some holsters started to appear with small decorative painting and occasional seashell and beads attached to make the Sticks and Stones Holsters very popular. Another item that really caught on was the permanent dried skin of Armadillos formed in Silverware trays inside the caves. Various hides to give expressions to the importance of displaying in the Cave and to house and protect good Silverware soon followed this. There were even decorative antlers to hang Stickware on to display it. Though specific Cave Merchants supplied much of this, it was soon all easily available on Silverware Black Markets.

It became obvious that what started, as a specialized industry to a particular Cave Community was now indistinguishable from the other communities. What was next was a need to make Sticks and Stones Silverware that was not easily copied, made with especially hard to find sticks and stones and created by gifted artisans without rival. This created the Specialized Silverware Movement.

No, really, this is what happened.
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Jesus