gold-weight
- Museum number
- Af1954,23.2236
- Description
-
Lost wax cast figurative gold-weight, in brass, in the form of a bird with its head turned looking over its back (sankofa) standing on a square five-stepped pyramid-shaped pedestal. The first step of the pedestal is notched on all four sides.
- Production date
- 18thC-20thC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 4 centimetres
-
Length: 2.30 centimetres
-
Weight: 53.84 grammes
-
Width: 2.50 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- A proverb associated with this weight states:
'Pick it up if it falls behind you' in other words, the sankofa bird reminds the observer not to be afraid to try to redeem mistakes already committed in the past.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Good.
- Acquisition date
- 1954
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1954,23.2236
- Additional IDs
-
Previous owner/ex-collection number: 158534 (Wellcome Collection Number)
