Attribution Incomplete Notice
Collections and items in our institution have incomplete, inaccurate, and/or missing attribution. We are using this notice to clearly identify this material so that it can be updated, or corrected by communities of origin. Our institution is committed to collaboration and partnerships to address this problem of incorrect or missing attribution.
Open to Collaborate Notice
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Artwork Details
2-5/8 x 1/2 x 3/8 in.
Accession NumberGift of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Eiteljorg
Copyright(Merrick Posnansky, UCLA professor of anthropology, Los Angeles, CA) sold on October 3, 1977 to Harrison Eiteljorg [1903-1997] of Indianapolis; donated to the IMA 1989
The Akan area has long been a hub of commerce, much of it centering on its rich gold resources. Brass weights for measuring gold have been in use since the 14th century. Individuals involved in trade owned or had access to a set of scales, gold-dust containers, spoons and weights. There are two basic types of weights: geometric forms, which are the earliest and most numerous, and figurative forms.
Although a few weights are directly cast from the object most are made by the "lost-wax" technique. The form is fashioned in wax, covered with a clay mold, then fired in a way that allows heated, liquefied metal to replace the melted or "lost" wax.
Figurative weights depict people, animals, plants, weapons, tools and many other aspects of daily life. Some are symbols of leadership, such as this royal sword.
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Metadata about the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection comes from Newfields’ records and research. In some cases, information may be incomplete and research is ongoing. Newfields’ goal is to have as up-to-date metadata as possible, therefore, this information is subject to change. Newfields collections’ metadata is available under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) waiver, which allows for re-use without legal restrictions.
Artworks that appear in the image file(s) above may be in copyright or have other legal and/or cultural restrictions to their use. For clarity, Newfields does not claim copyright to the image files created by Newfields of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Newfields makes every effort to ascertain the copyright status of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Please refer to the RightsStatements.org statement above for information about the current copyright status of the artwork. Additionally, some artworks may include Local Context’s Notices or Labels that attribute cultural authority of the artwork’s heritage and data.
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