Gold-weight
Akan
Description
Subject Matter:
Figurative gold-weight in the shape of a bird with a long thin, neck ending in a small head, resting to the side of the body and a fan-shaped tail. According to Sheales, "birds had great symbolic importance for the Akan because they transcended the boundary between heaven and earth" (cf. Sheales, African Goldweights, 2014). One example of a proverb that might be applicable states, "When the feathers of a fowl grow, they still remain attached to its body", meaning that though the subjects of a chief may prosper, they still owe him their allegiance (cf. Garrard, Akan Weights and the Gold Trade, 1980, p. 204). The bird depicted in this gold-weight may also be a backward looking sankofa bird, which is often associated with the proverb 'pick it up if it falls behind you'. It is a reminder not to be afraid to try to redeem mistakes already committed in the past (cf. Sheales, African Goldweights, 2014).
Physical Description:
Gold-weight in the shape of an oblong with a fan shaped appendage at one end and a curved appendage at the other end. The top middle of the gold-weight also has a spiral design. A casting sprue may still be attached to the bottom of the gold-weight.
Usage Rights:
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