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Gold-weight

Akan

Artwork Details

Gold-weight
20th century
Akan
brass
1 3/4 x x 1/8 in. (4.6 x 1.4 x 0.4 cm); ; ;
Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis
1997/1.488

Tags

Description

Subject Matter:

Geometric gold-weight with a comb-like motif along most of the base and a pattern of nested chevrons along one side that may represent a stylized fern leaf, called aya in Twi, the language spoken by Akan peoples in Ghana (cf. Sheales, African Goldweights, 2014). 

Physical Description:

Gold-weight in the shape of a rectangular base with a single raised line along one long edge, fifteen raised teeth along the opposing edge, and a pattern of nested chevrons along one of the short edges. 

Usage Rights:

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