Goldweight / Artist Unknown, African, Akan-Speaking Peoples, Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire

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About this Item

Record Details

Accession Number
1997/1.447
Title
Goldweight
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)
Dimensions
6 cm x 0.9 cm x 0.7 cm (2 3/8 in. x 3/8 in. x 1/4 in.)
Century
20th century
Primary Object Classification
Metalwork
Primary Object Type
goldweight
Physical Description
Goldweight in the shape of a stylized plant, possibly part of a male inflorescence of the oil palm.
Subject Matter
Among the floral motifs found on the goldweights used by Akan-speaking peoples in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, representations of the oil palm are particularly common. The importance of these palm trees is not only evidenced by its frequent occurrence as a representational motif on weights and other media, but illustrated by proverbs as well. For example, "all plants may shed their leaves except the palm tree" highlights the exceptional nature of this tree. Proverbs such as this one can be used in a variety of different contexts, by different speakers, and to different ends; the same is true for the material forms inscribing these proverbs.
Primary Keywords
ghana (nation)
plants
Rights
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Technical Details

Image Size
3888 x 2592
File Size
179 KB
Record
1997/1.447
Link to this Item
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1997-sl-1.447/1997_1.447.jpg

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Manifest
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1997-SL-1.447:1997_1.447.JPG

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Full citation
"Goldweight; 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-1.447/1997_1.447.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 28, 2024.
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