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1938.18.55

Copper alloy weight for weighing gold, in the shape of a fish tail with circles on three sides. [MJD DDF Body Arts Project 2010/2011 13/12/2010]

1938.18.55

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Collection type
Object
Description
Copper alloy weight for weighing gold, in the shape of a fish tail with circles on three sides. [MJD DDF Body Arts Project 2010/2011 13/12/2010]
Geographical reference
Ghana
Africa > Western Africa > Ghana
Ashanti
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1938
Date collected
By 1938
Acquisition information
Bequeathed: 1938
Materials and processes
Material Brass Metal, Process Lost Wax Cast
Dimensions
Length: max 57 mm, Width: max 15 mm, Weight 9 g
Object numbers
Accession number: 1938.18.55
Research and responses

A similar weight is included in de Kolb (1968) Ashanti Goldweights No.1, Gallery d'Hautbarr: New York, page 43: Symbolic weight. A man who had caught a big fish gave the head to his old wife while his young wife got the rest of the fish. The old wife killed herself with grieves [sic - grief]. The king therefore issued a weight to indicate how fish should not be parted. [MJD DDF Body Arts Project 2010/2011 16/12/2010]

Search terms: Measurement, Figure, Gold Weight, Fish Figure