Goldweight [Antelope] 19th-20th century

Curator: What a fascinating little figure! This is an Akan goldweight, depicting an antelope. They were cast in brass, and this one dates from the 19th or 20th century. Editor: It has a whimsical, almost miniature feel, doesn't it? The antelope is so detailed for its size; I can almost feel the texture of its horns. And those slender legs give the figure a playful sense of movement. I bet this antelope felt powerful on a tiny scale! Curator: These goldweights weren't just decorative objects. They were actually used as a measuring system in the Akan regions of Ghana, a response to increased gold trading with Europeans from the 15th century onward. The weights themselves even became potent symbols, their imagery often carrying proverbs and philosophical meanings within Akan society. Editor: I see! So, weighing gold with a little brass antelope became a culturally weighted activity, you could say. Like carrying knowledge about wisdom, the world and balance as they worked with economy and currency. Its material makes one think about durability; how brass must have embodied the very values it traded for gold. Curator: Exactly. This particular figure probably represented some shared values and knowledge for the person using it. While we don't know the precise proverb associated with it, it could connect with the power, speed, or perhaps cunning of the antelope in Akan culture. What's particularly compelling to me is seeing how European standards of measurement intertwined with existing systems. Editor: What I like is imagining someone pulling this piece out of their pocket, feeling its weight in their palm before setting it onto a scale. I'm intrigued how they invested daily transactions with a tiny figure imbued with a symbolic code and cultural presence. Curator: It truly invites us to consider the stories these objects silently carry – beyond their economic utility, these brass artworks were doing much more to uphold and communicate beliefs! Editor: Yes, so simple yet rich. An ordinary object animated with story. Curator: Well, what a fascinating exploration into economy, materiality, and culture all tied up in the history of this one goldweight. Editor: Agreed, an economic transaction made beautiful and resonant by this lovely antelope.