Skip to main content
  1. Art
  2. The Collection

Gold-weight

Akan

Artwork Details

Gold-weight
20th century
Akan
brass
3/4 x 11/16 x ½ in. (2.0 x 1.8 x 1.3 cm); ; ;
Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis
1997/1.388

Tags

Description

Subject Matter:

Geometric gold-weight in the shape of a three-stepped pyramid. The representation of a step pyramid, like in this example, is a common motif. This form is not the oldest among gold-weights, but from around the sixteenth century on it appears to have become common (cf. Garrard, Akan Weights and the Gold Trade, 1980, pp.282-283; Sheales, African Goldweights, 2014).

Physical Description:

Gold-weight in the shape of three stacked squares. 

Usage Rights:

If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.