Museum Explorer
Dress and ornament
in Africa
Gold discs
From: Ghana (Asante)
Date: 19th century AD
These golden discs are a kind of badge once worn by servants of the king of the Asante. The discs would hang from a chain around their necks.
When Europeans arrived in Ghana they called it the Gold Coast, because there was so much gold there. The king of Asante took a portion of all the gold found in his territory and controlled the gold trade. Gold ornaments are still the symbols of the Asante kings and chiefs.
