ornament;
finger-ring(?)
- Museum number
- Af1900,0427.44
- Title
- Series: Asante Gold
- Description
-
Lost cast wax casting in gold of a finger-ring ornament in the form of three highly stylised elephants (esono) arranged in a row next to each other facing the same way. The eyes are accentuated by concentric circles and the ears, which are very small, are semi-detached from the head. Each elephant has two birds perched on its back facing each other. The elephants’ trunks are shown raised and the end of each is splayed out so that they resemble fish-tails. The tusks of each elephant partially overlap those of its neighbour and each set of tusks cross under the tip of the elephants’ trunk. The elephant tails are depicted raised. The body of each elephant is decorated with a series of finely executed geometric patterns, in particular spirals. The elephants are cast without legs, therefore providing a flat surface which could be used to attach them to another separate element, possibly the band of a finger ring, although there is no sign of this. Openwork.
- Production date
- 19thC
- Dimensions
-
Length: 8.50 centimetres
-
Weight: 80.06 grammes
-
Width: 5.50 centimetres
-
Depth: 2 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Elephants were associated with the Asantehene because of their size and strength. Elephants were also associated with the Company of Merchants Trading to Africa Company’s logo which consisted of an elephant on top of a castle.
The body of each elephant was probably intended to be open-work but turned out solid as a result of miscasting. The hollow body cavities reveal traces of red clay (inchuma).
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1980 Sept., London, BM, Asante: Kingdom of Gold
1987, London, Museum of Mankind (Room 5), 'Introduction to the Collections'
2018, 15 Apr- 12 Aug, Dallas, USA, Dallas Museum of Art, The Power of Gold: Asante Gold Regalia from Ghana
- Condition
- Good.
- Acquisition date
- 1900
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1900,0427.44