Goldweight in the shape of coiled rope / Artist Unknown, African, Akan-Speaking Peoples, Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire
About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1997/1.452
- Title
- Goldweight in the shape of coiled rope
- Artist Nationality
- Ghanaian
- Medium and Support
- brass
- Object Creation Date
- 1900-1985
- Object Creation Place
- Africa (continent)
- Akan (historical region)
- Creation Place 1
- Africa (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- Akan (historical region)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis
- Dimensions
- 6.3 cm x 1.6 cm (2 1/2 in. x 5/8 in.)
- Century
- 20th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Metalwork
- Primary Object Type
- goldweight
- Physical Description
- Goldweight in the shape of a twisted rope.
- Subject Matter
- This goldweight represents a variation on the knots, coiled ropes and loop forms, which are common motifs in Akan goldweights. To this day, people in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire may interpret the many variations of this form as "wisdom knots" (or "nyansapò"). Wisdom knots are associated with a number of proverbs, which might not always be compatible. For example, on the one hand, one can claim that "Only the wise man can untangle the knot"-- which means that the high position of rulers and superiors rests upon their greater wisdom, knowledge and experience. Yet, another proverb states that "If you are weaving and the knot gets tangled, you use both hands to untie it"-- which seems to indicate that even the wise man needs another's advice to solve a problem.
- Secondary Keywords
- africa (continent)
- cord (fiber product)
- descriptors
- fiber and fiber products
- fiber products
- geographic and political locations
- goldweights
- materials
- materials by form
- materials by physical form
- 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
- Record
- 1997/1.452
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1997-sl-1.452/1997_1_452.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Goldweight in the shape of coiled rope; 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-1.452/1997_1_452.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 20, 2024.
