Emblème d'épée: poisson de vase, 1ère moitié du 19e siècle
Roland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Description
bronze, gold alloy ca. 0,010 (ca. 2,5 carat), weight: 300 g,
Akan gold production likely began in the second half of the fifteenth century. Gold circulated in powdered form (“sika futuro”) as the currency of the Asante Empire until it was abolished at the end of the 19th century after the seventh Ashanti war.
Masterful jewellery ornaments were made in the royal courts of the Ashanti from melted gold dust in highly developed manufacturing processes (especially in the wax-melting process).
The gold objects (pendants, rings, soul-washer pectorals and staffs) were made exclusively by members of the Royal Goldsmiths Guild. Legend has it that the goldsmiths (“sikadwinfo”) learned their skills from Fusu Kwabi, an important ancestor and founder of the Ashanti, who descended from heaven to teach his descendants the art of gold processing.
Gold not only served as a sign of social status and wealth, but also had a spiritual meaning. The shiny metal was thought to be the earthly embodiment of the sun, and thus the embodiment of the life force (“kra”) itself.
The diverse motifs of gold jewellery reflect the rich imagery of the Akan. They always point to persons, animals or objects that are allegorically praiseworthy or meaningful.
To this day, a respected public speaker is expected to use a proverb (“ebe” - “mmebusem”) that suits the occasion.