Goldweight in the Form of a Mudfish
| Culture | Akan |
|---|---|
| Title | Goldweight in the Form of a Mudfish |
| Date | 19th–mid 20th century |
| Medium | Brass |
| Dimensions | Object: 7/8 × 1 1/4 × 1 3/4 in. (2.2 × 3.2 × 4.4 cm) Overall: 7/8 × 1 1/4 × 1 3/4 in. (2.2 × 3.2 × 4.4 cm) |
| Credit Line | Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Henry R. Hope, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 63.130 |
| This artwork is currently off display. You may be able to see this artwork by filling out an art viewing room request. | |
A small brass goldweight in the form of a mudfish. The fish's body wraps around itself with the head on top of the end of its tail. There are two fins that stick up on its back.
Before its independence, Ghana was known as the Gold Coast, and the Akan king was referred to as the "Lord of the Gold." For many centuries gold has been mined within Ghana, used as currency in the form of lumps and dust, and exported. When used as currency gold was weighed each time it exchanged hands. As a result all adults involved in trade owned their own set of weights, the forms and size of which depended on the status of the owner. Gold was placed on a scale using a spoon and then weighed against the typically brass weights.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
Request this image
The Eskenazi Museum of Art provides images of its collection, free of charge, upon request.
This artwork is under copyright protection. You can request the image and it will be emailed to you when the request is complete.
Cite this page
"Goldweight in the Form of a Mudfish | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=63.130