Goldweights:
Goldweight
Symbolism.
Much has been written about the symbolism
of goldweights. Little of it is accurate because each theory tends to
overlook the
fact that the meanings attached to goldweight motifs evolved over time
as those
who made and used them were exposed to a variety of external influences.
Contemporary Akan owners no longer attempt to explain geometric weight
designs, and whatever meaning they may have had is probably lost. It
does
appear that the earlier and simpler geometrics, including pyramid forms,
derived
from Islamic prototypes and, perhaps, apothecary weights. Simple bar
and dot
forms may have been related to counting, and the swastika is an ancient
protective, good luck, or solar symbol with worldwide distribution.
Later, more
ornate and flatter geometrics repeat or elaborate upon early designs,
but their
designs are just as unreadable.
The opposite problem exists for many
of the later figurative weights: European and American researchers tend
to link each weight to a specific Akan or Asante
proverb when, in reality, few of them were created with a specific
proverb in
mind, and some, including most of the direct-cast objects, might have
been made
as novelties of technical interest and only linked to proverbs very
casually. A
few goldweights are tied to
specific proverbs or incidents: the
headless fish
warns against the social disruption caused by favoritism,
while the
sankofa bird reminds everyone to learn from the past. The
sankofa
bird appears not only in weights and on mforowa and cloth used by
everyone, but
also on a ruler's state umbrella finials and on the staff heads of his
court
spokesmen. It thus evokes feelings of mutual respect and unity in a
shared past
for both ruler and subject. Direct-cast
peanuts, like corn (maize), are
staple
crops introduced by Europeans in the 1600s and taken into the symbolic
language. Peanuts are emblems of permanence, utility and
secrecy
(their seeds and contents are hidden), but a peanut goldweight could
also carry a
specific message of sympathy and support when sent by a leader to a
needy
person (Antubam: No. 57).
Akan verbal and visual symbolism is frequently linked, using
cautionary tales,
vivid satire, or a display of power in royal ornaments or goldweights to
carry a
message of balance and continuity for the sake of social order.
Symbolism is
constantly updated by new generations, who blur and then forget past
meanings as
they lose relevance, and who create new meanings without sacrificing the
essential positive messages of balance, order, and continuity. In this
verbal and
visual union, goldweights, like other Akan and Asante art forms, have
provided a
constantly evolving insight into Akan peoples' character and values,
their humor
and history.Martha Ehrlich
Proceed
to the end of this exhibit, return to the
Doorway
, or compare with the Yoruba
section.
Last updated 29 March 1995.