• Asante, Akan People, Ghana and Ivory Coast, Africa

• Bronze (copper alloy)

• 19th C.

• 1.5 h x 1 w in./ 4 x 2.5 cm

Miniature sculpture created to weigh gold dust.

The weights of the Akan peoples of the former African Gold Coast were in use from about 1400 to 1900 for the weighing of gold dust.

Before the 16th century, gold weights were mainly geometric in design. The "newer" representational weights were intended for practical use as prestige weights and usually were symbols of Akan proverbs.

Goldweights were made from copper alloys using the lost wax technique (also called "cire perdue" or "lost mold").

In 1899 the use of gold dust as a means of payment was banned in Ghana by the British.

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