Goldweight in the shape of a double-bladed sword / Artist Unknown, African, Akan-Speaking Peoples, Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1997/1.513
- Title
- Goldweight in the shape of a double-bladed sword
- 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
- 6.5 cm x 5.2 cm x 1.3 cm (2 9/16 in. x 2 1/16 in. x 1/2 in.)
- Century
- 20th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Metalwork
- Primary Object Type
- goldweight
- Physical Description
- A goldweight in the shape of a double-blade sword, with open-worked blades, three cones decorating the top of the blades, and an elaborately worked handle with two balls with incised, spiral stripes and small protrusions around.
- Subject Matter
- Representations of double-bladed royal swords are a fairly common motif for Akan goldweights. Actual swords are part of a king's regalia, and are normally covered in a leather sheath, showing the ruler's distinctive insignia. The swords or sabers of the various Akan kingdoms serve distinct functions, such as the saber to announce the death of a dignitary or the one used by the king to take a loyalty oath to the throne-stool. The double sword, as represented in this goldweight, was called "afranta" in the precolonial Asante kingdom of Kumasi. The king of Asante, the Asantehene brandishes this sword during enthronement rituals or the Yam Festival, with the accompanying drum saying, "I have no favorite, I have no enemy." The same message is conveyed in a proverb: "the sword of justice cuts right, cuts left." This means that in judicial matters, the king doesn't grant anyone special favors.
- Secondary Keywords
- africa (continent)
- ceremonial weapons
- geographic and political locations
- goldweights
- objects we use
- weapons
- weapons and ammunition
- 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
- 243 KB
- Record
- 1997/1.513
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1997-sl-1.513/1997_1.513.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1997-SL-1.513:1997_1.513.JPG
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Goldweight in the shape of a double-bladed sword; 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-1.513/1997_1.513.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 18, 2024.