Pectoral disc "akrafokonmu" ("soul washers badge") · Ghana, Akan / Ashanti · ID: 3045210
sold
EUR 650
Provenance
René David, Zurich, SwitzerlandRoland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Size
D: 8 cm
D: 3.1 inch
Description
gold leaf, finely chiselled, dam., base
The “Akrafokonmu” are among the most beautiful gold works of the Akan and served in earlier times as a badge of the royal messengers.
Mostly, however, they were carried by the “akrafo”, particularly attractive young men and women born on the same day as the king. By means of their youthful strength and beauty, they should contribute to the ritualistic cleansing and recharging of the life force of the king.
Comparing literature
Ross, Doran H., Gold of the Akan from the Glassell Collection, Houston 2002, p. 116, ill. 5-3