Goldweight in a geometric shape / Artist Unknown, African, Akan-Speaking Peoples, Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1997/1.440
- Title
- Goldweight in a geometric shape
- Artist Nationality
- Ghanaian
- Medium and Support
- brass
- Object Creation Date
- 1900-1985
- Object Creation Place
- Africa (continent)
- Ghana (nation)
- Creation Place 1
- Africa (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- Ghana (nation)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis
- Dimensions
- 2 cm x 2 cm x 1.1 cm (13/16 in. x 13/16 in. x 7/16 in.)
- Century
- 20th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Metalwork
- Primary Object Type
- goldweight
- Physical Description
- Goldweight with a base in the shape of a pentagon, bearing two undecorated bars.
- Subject Matter
- The Akan-speaking peoples of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire have long used goldweights such as this one to weigh off the amount of gold dust required in a particular transaction. This kind of weight is a polygon, bearing a graphic sign on top. Scholars like Niangoran-Bouah have argued that the signs on Akan goldweights are a real writing system, based on 254 basic signs that can occur (alone or in combinations) on goldweights as well as many other media. In this example, the vertical bars might relate to a numerical sign (namely, 2).
- Secondary Keywords
- africa (continent)
- descriptors
- design elements
- geographic and political locations
- goldweights
- motifs
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 3888 x 2592
- File Size
- 145 KB
- Record
- 1997/1.440
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1997-sl-1.440/1997_1.440.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1997-SL-1.440:1997_1.440.JPG
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- Full citation
-
"Goldweight in a geometric shape; Artist Unknown, African, Akan-Speaking Peoples, Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1997-sl-1.440/1997_1.440.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 25, 2024.
