disc pendant;
soul disc
- Museum number
- Af1900,0427.11
- Title
- Series: Asante Gold
- Description
-
A uni-facial gold disc pendant (akrafokonmu) that combines lost wax casting and sheet metal-working techniques. The disc is made of sheet gold decorated in repoussé spiral patterns. The lower areas of the spiral pattern are marked by rows of dot punching. The rim is formed by bending the outer edge back. The central boss is a lost wax casting soldered into place. The suspension lugs are made of sheet gold bent to make a short, flattened tube, with bands of metal soldered to the outer edge of them. These bands are probably lost wax casting and are decorated with a herringbone pattern. The hemispherical decoration has been soldered to the outer edge of the rim, originally there would have another situated opposite.
- Production date
- 19thC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 9.80 centimetres
-
Weight: 45.12 grammes
-
Width: 9.20 centimetres
-
Depth: 2 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- One of the widespread items of goldwork was the pectoral disc, kra, worn by the servants of the ruler, who 'washed' or purified the king's soul. The kra are therefore sometimes referred to as 'soul-washer's' discs. However, they are also occasionally worn by the king himself, by girls at puberty rites or by the principal mourner at a funeral.
M.D. McLeod, The Asante (London, The British Museum Press, 1981)
- 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
- Af1900,0427.11
