bead
- Museum number
- Af1900,0427.52
- Title
- Series: Asante Gold
- Description
-
Hollow lost wax casting in gold of a bead in the form of a square pyramidal cushion (mankata) with two square holes at each apex. The surface decoration consists of a series of symmetrical adjoining spirals of varying sizes.
- Production date
- 1800-1824 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 0.90 centimetres
-
Weight: 2.55 grammes
-
Width: 1.20 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- This bead type was named after Sir Charles McCarthy, a British governor who was defeated and killed in a battle against the Asante in 1824. He was subsequently beheaded and his skull resided in the royal mausoleum at Bantama for several years but its final resting place is unknown.
This bead was modelled over a core that has been picked out. The decoration was created by adding raised wax threads to the exterior surface of the bead.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Good. A small area has miscast leaving a hole in an area that was intended to be solid.
- Acquisition date
- 1900
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1900,0427.52
- Additional IDs
-
Other BM number: Af1974,Q.2907 (previously registered as, in error)
-
Other BM number: Af1979,01.4647 (previously registered as, in error)
