TERA Gallery - African Art and Antiquities

"Altering The Way You View The World Of Art"
Type of Object:
    Gold Dust Spoon (atere)
    Gold Dust Container
    Gold Weights

    From the earlier 15th century to the end of the nineteenth
    century, gold (sika) was the currency of the Asante, Fante,
    Baule and other Akan peoples of Ghana. They developed a
    complex system of weighting gold dust using various tools.  .

    Spoons were among the most essential equipment buyers
    as well as sellers had in their bag and used in every
    transaction.   Used in trade with European merchants along
    the Ivory Coast or Islamic traders from the north, gold dust
    was measured on small scales using small copper, bronze
    or brass sculpted weights and spoons served to facilitate
    moving the gold dust to the scal and to adjust teh amount of
    the gold being sold.

    Cast in the ‘lost-wax’ technique these spoons  were highly
    decorated with balanced patterns on the handles

Ethnic Group:
    Akan Society
    Asante Society

Country of Origin:  
    Ghana

Material:   
    Brass

Dimensions:
    2 inches x 6.5 inches

Reference: