Accession Number1997/1.454
TitleGold-weight
Artist(s)AkanArtist NationalityAkan (culture or style)Object Creation Date20th centuryMedium & SupportbrassDimensions 2 in x 5/16 in x 1/8 in (5 cm x 0.8 cm x 0.3 cm)
Credit LineGift of Dr. James and Vivian CurtisSubject matterFigurative gold-weight in the shape of a wisdom knot, possibly an amulet (
safi/sebe) known as
nyan sapo in Twi, the language spoken by Akan peoples in Ghana (cf. British Museum object number Af1900,0513.91). This kind of knot, called a reef knot, traditionally represents wisdom and are examples of artistic skill as they are tied in wax and then cast in brass (cf. Phillips, African Goldweights, 2010, p. 154). A proverb commonly associated with this gold-weight states: "If you're weaving and the thread gets tangled, you use both hands to untie it", meaning that even a wise man needs another's help to solve a problem (cf. Garrard, Akan Weights and the Gold Trade, 1980, p. 210).
Physical DescriptionGold-weight in the shape of two pieces of rope bound at both ends with a knot in the middle.
Primary Object Classification Metalwork Primary Object TypegoldweightCollection AreaAfricanRightsIf 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
knots (motifs)
measuring
miniature (size attribute)
weighing devices
wisdom