Disk Pendant (akrafokɔnmu)
Unknown Artist
1800s, before 1871; pin added later
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
7 × 7.6 × 1.6 cm
Classification
Jewelry
Department
African Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
James Albert Ford Memorial Fund
Accession Number
1944.290
About this artwork
Gold discs dangling on the chests of Akan state officials and elites showed their rank and duties. Worn by these akrafo (“soul people”) since the 1800s, they are often linked to kradware, officials who represent and purify (“wash”) the king’s soul. To make them, goldsmiths cast or flattened gold. Muslim North African gold coins likely inspired their form and material, while concentric water rings influenced their composition. This small disc is a typical pre-colonial example. Gold ornament makin...