Gold-weight

Accession Number
1997/1.394

Title
Gold-weight

Artist(s)
Akan

Artist Nationality
Akan (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1900-1985

Medium & Support
brass

Dimensions
1/2 in x 3/8 in x 5/16 in (1.2 cm x 0.9 cm x 0.8 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis

Subject matter
Gold-weight with a comb-like motif on top. It may resemble nkyimkyim, a symbol used in stamped adinkra cloth. Its twisted shape means 'to change oneself' or 'to play many parts' (cf. Niangoran-Bouah, The Akan World of Gold Weights, Vol. 1, p. 208). 

Physical Description
Gold-weight in the shape of a square base with three raised, parallel bars facing the opposite direction of a single raised bar. 

Primary Object Classification
Metalwork

Primary Object Type
goldweight

Collection Area
African

Rights
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Keywords
goldweights
measuring
miniature (size attribute)
weighing devices

& Author Notes

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