Akan/Asante Pan Scale Gold Dust Africa Complete

Description

Title
Akan/Asante Pan Scale Gold Dust Africa Complete
Type of Object
Pan Scale
Country of Origin
Ghana
People
Akan/Asante
Materials
Iron (metal content unknown)
Approximate Age
Unknown
Height (in)
1
Width (in)
1
Depth (in)
6
Other Dimensions
Height: 1 Inch
Width: 1 Inch
bar is 2.5 inches. pans 1 inch
Overall Condition
Good
Damage/Repair
Oxidation
Additional Information:
Probably one the the pans from a scale used to weigh gold.
F
rom the earlier 15th century to the end of the nineteenth century, gold (sika) was the currency of the Asante, Fante, Baule and other Akan peoples of Ghana. They developed a complex system of weighting gold dust using various tools including the equipment like this.
Used in trade with European merchants along the Ivory Coast or Islamic traders from the north, gold dust was melt and measured on on the containers such as this. These were among the most essential equipment sellers had in their bag and used in every transaction. Cast in the ‘lost-wax’ technique these spoons served to facilitate moving the gold dust to the scale.
The gold dust was measured onto the scale and the spoon served to adjust the amount of the gold dust being sold.
Recommended Reading:
Plass's AFRICAN MINIATURES-GOLDWEIGHTS OF THE ASHANTI.
CLM0220
**132097**
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