disc pendant;
soul disc
- Museum number
- Af1900,0427.28
- Title
- Series: Asante Gold
- Description
-
Lost wax casting in gold of a uni-facial disc pendant (akrafokonmu) with central raised boss and repoussé and open-work decoration. The central boss is cast in solid gold in the shape of a plain four-sided pyramid and is surrounded by a solid circle decorated with ten evenly spaced repoussé-work loops. The main ground of the disc consists of a cross design surrounded by two concentric circles, the inner one has larger voids which are intersected by open-work web-like patterns which contrasts with the outer circle which is decorated in regular cross-hatching. Two suspension lugs are located either side of the disc pendant and adjacent to these are two half discs soldered to the folded over rim.
- Production date
- 19thC
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 7.50 centimetres
-
Weight: 14.68 grammes
-
Depth: 1.10 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- The design of this disc pendant is a variant of the lozenge form or equal-armed cross, expressed as four arcs, which is commonly known as the 'Cross of Agades' and is found all over North Africa.
This disc pendant was formed using a mould over which the boss was modelled in wax and thin strips of wax were arranged in patterns to create the open-work design. After the piece was cast the core was picked out. The delicate open-work has cast almost perfectly. This indicates how several other related but less successful castings of disc pendants and beads were intended to appear.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1980 Sept., London, BM, Asante: Kingdom of Gold
- Condition
- Good.
- Acquisition date
- 1900
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1900,0427.28