Gold weight
Asante merchants used these copper alloy weights as a standard for weighing gold when trading. While the weights of these objects were standardised, their shape varied, and could be simple or complex.
This example is a piece of recycled Chinese porcelain, which was last used in the gold dust trade in the 19th century. Very early examples of Chinese porcelain has been excavated in eastern Africa, which highlights the continent’s early trading connections to Asia.
Donor unknown
L.11 x W. 10 mm
This example is a piece of recycled Chinese porcelain, which was last used in the gold dust trade in the 19th century. Very early examples of Chinese porcelain has been excavated in eastern Africa, which highlights the continent’s early trading connections to Asia.
Donor unknown
L.11 x W. 10 mm
Object Summary
- Accession Loan No.
- 68/1994/61
- Category
- Ethnography
- Collection Class
- Currency
- Collection Area Region
- W
- Material
- copper alloy (cast)
- Common Name
- gold weight
- Simple Name
- weight
- Production County
- South Ghana
- Production Country
- Ghana
- Production Year Low
- 1400
- Production Year High
- 1900
