Miniature mask
Description
metal alloy, coiffure and beard with plug-like projections, dominated by big almond-shaped eyes, handwritten collection number “9” on the backside, min. dam., small missing parts, slight traces of abrasion;
cast in lost wax technique. Possibly an alloy of copper and gold. The Gold Coast, today called Ghana was reputed for its riches, as well as for its nuggets or gold dust. The metal, sometimes mixed in feeble quantity with copper or silver was used traditionally for the creation of jewelry and weapons, plated items and the modelling of small figures. This alloy was called “gold fetish” by the Westerners. The foremost function of these “gold fetish” objects is a decorative and symbolic one and gold is synonymous with a long life expectancy and divine power.