Accession Number
2003/2.33

Title
Vessel

Artist(s)
Akan

Artist Nationality
Akan (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
20th century

Medium & Support
brass

Dimensions
2 3/4 in x 5 1/2 in x 5 1/2 in (6.99 cm x 13.97 cm x 13.97 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. Daniel and Sandra Mato

Subject matter
Kuduo, cast brass vessels created by Akan-speaking peoples of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, have been made in various forms ranging from simple open vessels to those with intricately decorated lids. These vessels were used in a variety of ways that connected them to their owner's kra, often translated as 'soul' or 'spirit'. Often owned by elite individuals in the community, kuduo were also used to hold important items like precious beads, gold nuggets, and gold-dust. Upon the death of an imporant person, their kuduo was sometimes buried with them. Some vessels were also placed with blackened ancestral stools, where offerings of food and drink were made. 

Physical Description
Brass vessel cast in a rounded bowl form. A small loop near the vessel's lip may have served as an attachment point for a hinged lid. The vessel has various geometric and curvilinear designs across the body. 

Primary Object Classification
Metalwork

Primary Object Type
bowl

Collection Area
African

Rights
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Keywords
ancestors
ceremonial vessels
funerary objects
shrines (structures)
social status
souls