Goldweight with a Geometric Design
Asante
18th/19th century
Medium
Copper alloy
Dimensions
1 × 1.8 × 2.1 cm (3/8 × 11/16 × 13/16 in.)
Classification
gold-weight
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
54039
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Brass-cast gold weights were used to measure gold dust, the local currency in the Akan-speaking regions of southern Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire between the 15th and 20th centuries. Made of a copper alloy, the gold weights enabled merchants to trade with towns in the Sahel region and North Africa and later with the Portuguese and the Dutch. The designs of gold weights are incredibly diverse, from simple geometries to designs referencing local proverbs. This small, square weight has a relatively tall...