African Antique Lost Wax Cast Bronze Akan Ashanti Gold Weight -Alligator

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African Antique Lost Wax Cast Bronze Akan Ashanti Gold Weight -Alligator :
$20.00

Gold Weights:The Gold weights orMbramooof the Akan are stylized miniature sculptures traditionally used to weigh bags of gold dust for use as currency. Made of bronze or brass the weights are made using the traditional lost wax casting technique (I highly recommend viewing thisvideofor a precursory view of the technique). The weights themselves often became status symbols with higher nobility indicted with not only owning more weights but the degree of casting in the weights and the accompanying accouterments like spoons and decorative chests. Each weight was made to be equivalent to a Uquiya or Islamic ounce (roughly 27.3 grams), with the weights either being filed down or adorned with beads to achieve the perfect weight. Though long since out of use for actual gold measurements, the weights have continued to be made and serve now more as collectible handmade sculptures. This particular piece measures about 1 inch by 4 inches, with a lovely filigree and patina making it wonderful for any collector!Motifs:Akan gold weights were often used not only for simple measurements but to strike up conversation during business transactions by each conveying a unique story or idea through their designs and representations. These design motifs usually fall into three trends; courtly figures,Adinkra symbols orrepresentational animals. The figures representing Ashanti nobility tend to be allegories, myths and fables of the Ashanti\'s origins. The Adinkra symbols are much flatter, rectangular designs based upon the Ashanti Adrinkra system of writing where philosophical concepts and aphorisms are represented with stylized patterns and designs (the Adrinkra is not a phonetic system of writing and holds no capability for writing nouns, verbs, etc but instead conveys transcendent thoughts on the nature of existence). The animal representations often are attempts to convey proverbs relating to the individual animals.Please view my other listings for more gold weights and great deals and please email with any questions.Thanks for Looking!*Most figures I have more than 1 available, being handmade they are all subtly different. If you are interested in multiples of a particular figure please contact me and I am happy bulk deals on multiple purchases.
** I will also happily combine shipping costs. I am not one of the sellers who seeks to profit on shipping and will only charge what the shipping actually costs. Please contact me for more accurate shipping charges or I will adjust shipping on multiple purchases via invoice.