Accession Number
1997/1.391

Title
Gold-weight

Artist(s)
Akan

Artist Nationality
Akan (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
20th century

Medium & Support
brass

Dimensions
13/16 in x 13/16 in x 1/8 in (2 cm x 2 cm x 0.3 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis

Subject matter
Geometric gold-weight with a stylized leaf design, possibly an aya (fern) leaf (cf. British Museum object number Af1982,09.111). When pronounced in the Twi language with a slightly different tone, the word ya, meaning abuse, is produced. From such word play, this pattern symbolizes that those conducting business with someone of authority should speak politely. 
See: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/online_research_catalogues/agw/african_gold-weights.aspx
Sheales, Fiona, African Goldweights, London, BMP, 2014

 

Physical Description
Gold-weight in the shape of a square with raised, nested perpendicular lines surrounding a set of three raised bars in one corner. 

Primary Object Classification
Metalwork

Primary Object Type
goldweight

Collection Area
African

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
goldweights
measuring
miniature (size attribute)
weighing devices