Accession Number
1997/1.483

Title
Gold-weight

Artist(s)
Akan

Artist Nationality
Akan (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
20th century

Medium & Support
brass

Dimensions
1 in x 3/4 in x 3/16 in (2.5 cm x 1.9 cm x 0.4 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis

Subject matter
Geometric gold-weight in the form of what may be an amulet/charm called safi or sebe in Twi, the Akan language spoken in Ghana.  A safi or sebe is an Islamic amulet adopted by Akan-speaking peoples around the 14th century (cf. Sheales, African Goldweights, 2014). These amulets or charms were considered powerful due to their connection with the written word, which was, in and of itself, thought to be magical. Such amulets were very popular, used ward off all evils but sickness and natural death (cf. Sheales, African Goldweights, 2014). 

Physical Description
Gold-weight in the shape of a flat hexagon with a raised line bisecting the base at its widest point. On one side of the line there are three straight lines that meet at a common point; on the other side of the line there is an arch vertically bisected by a straight line. One of the recesses in the arch appears to have been filled in with some form of metal, possibly lead. 

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
amulets
goldweights
measuring
miniature (size attribute)
protection (maintenance function)
weighing devices