For Black History Month, Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage was invited by Leicester Museums to choose its Object of the Month The team chose a set of Ashanti weights from the collection This information pack provides more information about the provenance and history of the weights.
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage would like to thank Angela Robinson, Community Producer at Leicester Museums, for her support with preparing the Object of the Month for Black History Month
The images used in the information pack are courtesy of Leicester Museums and they are the copyright holder of the images.
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage is an arts and heritage organisation based in Leicester City Centre Serendipity’s mission is to centre perspectives from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora, embedded as part of cultural experiences for all Since 2010, Serendipity has established a successful portfolio of trailblazing projects, establishing itself as a key contributor to cultural practice locally, nationally and internationally.
Programmes include the flagship dance festival, Let’s Dance International Frontiers (LDIF), Black History Month Leicester (BHM) and the Annual Windrush Day Lecture
Serendipity has also established a legacy: hosting the Living Archive, documenting Black arts, heritage and culture, publishing the voices of Black arts practitioners and community activists, nurturing artists to create high quality new work, and mentoring young people
Ashanti People
The Ashanti, also referred to as Asante, are a part of the Akan ethnic group. The Akan ethnic group includes a range of sub-groups, including Akyem, Akwapem, Ashanti, Brong, Fante, Kwahu, Sefwi and Wassai
The Ashanti lived in the central and southern parts of the Gold Coast, which is the name Europeans called the country until it gained independence in 1957 and became known as Ghana. Europeans called it the Gold Coast because of the large quantities of the natural resource of gold.
The Ashanti Empire was founded in 1670 by the Ashanti king (Asantehene), Osei Tutu, and his advisor, Okomfo Anokye The golden stool became the unifying symbol of the Ashanti empire, which is the royal and divine throne of the kings of the Ashanti people. It was also the ultimate symbol of power. The legend of the golden stool says that Okomfo Anokye made the golden stool descend from the sky and land on the lap of the first Ashanti king. It is also believed that the golden stool houses the spirit of the entire Ashanti nation, which includes those living, deceased, and those yet to be born Today, the flag of the Ashanti people depicts the golden stool
Many groups that are a part of the Akan ethnic group speak Twi that has different dialects, which includes Ashanti Twi. Twi is known as a tone language, where the distinction of the word is determined by the pitch of how each syllable is pronounced
The lifestyle, culture and beliefs of the Ashanti are demonstrated through the weights that are on display.
The weights, also known as mrammou or abrammuo, were used by the Ashanti people. The weights were made using a form of metal casting called the lost wax method. They were first used in the sixteenth century and stopped being used in the nineteenth century. Each weight is unique and are seen to present the individual personality of the person who made it The weights are divided between figurative and geometric weights The figurative weights depict the customs of the Ashanti or plants, animals and everyday items Geometric weights have patterns with a symbolic meaning
What were the weights used for?
The purpose of the weights was to measure gold dust. Gold was an abundant natural resource that contributed to the wealth of the Ashanti. It was common for wealthy people to own a set of weights
Each weight was a part of an intricate weighing system The weights started from 0 02 grams and increased to weights as high as 1,385 grams The weighing system included the weights, as well as small balances, spoons, and shallow bowls with an opening at the side so that impurities in the gold could be removed.
It has been thought that there were attempts to alter the weights, to ensure it was at the desired weight These alterations came in the form of a missing arm or leg from a figurative weight, or there would be metal added to increase its weight.
Whether a person was a buyer or seller, they would use their own weights in transactions so they were confident about the weight of the gold dust This often resulted in there being two weighings Chiefs and court officials had weights that were heavier than the standard weights used
There is an Ashanti proverb that describes the weights of a chief compared to those of lesser means:
The weights of a chief are not the same as those of a poor man
The weights served a number of functions In their justice system, people could prevent punishment for most crimes by paying a fine in gold dust according to the specified weight. The chief used the weights to enforce decrees and the weights were moulded with a symbolic meaning to reflect the decree. The weights were also used by professional storytellers to illustrate their stories
In 1899, the English stopped the use of gold dust as a form of payment and the associated weighing system As a result, the weights began to be sold as ornamental items because they no longer served a purpose. British military personnel in particular bought the weights at auction as souvenirs after the royal palace of Kumase was destroyed.
It is estimated that there are over three million Ashanti weights in existence today, with many of them housed in various museums across the world
Proverbs associated with the weights
The weights were often associated with proverbs, which imparted wisdom and advice. Proverbs were often shared verbally and were not often written down; therefore, it has not always been possible to know the specific meaning of a weight
Proverbs were a source of ancestral wisdom within the Ashanti culture Chiefs, linguists and senior men and women needed to know the proverbs so they could discuss difficult situations in a way that could not be readily be understood by everyone. It was viewed as a highly admired skill to be able to understand and use the proverbs Each generation created new proverbs, which reflect changes and developments in Ashanti society and culture
Each weight could have one or more proverbs connected to it The proverbs associated with each weight would have been dependant on the context and the person. The interpretation of the proverbs also depends on the individual and their knowledge and understanding of proverbs.
Weights on display
Gold dust storage boxes
The boxes were used for the storage of gold dust. They were also used as weights. The first box has a geometric pattern on the lid. The second box shows either a crocodile or lizard on the lid.
Weights that date from the 1500s onwards often had lids decorated with thick bars or swaztikas.
This example of a storage box for gold dust presents a head on the lid with line markings on both the lid and body of the box
There are examples of weights that are human heads with modelled facial features and distinctive hairstyles. Weights that depict human heads were often showing trophy heads taken from defeated enemies
Human figure weights
On the left is a human figure holding a musket and on the right is a human figure playing the drums
Weights that depict humans show men more often than women A large amount of human figure weights show ritual practices, such as preparing offerings, as well as hunting and other everyday activities. The human figure weights often have stylistic similarities with akuaaba figures.
The Portuguese first traded firearms on the Gold Coast during the fifteenth century By 1650, guns were exchanged for gold dust and slaves by British, Danish and Dutch trading companies The weights began to depict the weapons that were traded, including cannons, muskets and pistols. These weapons were used by the Ashanti in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries for territorial expansion, commercial expansion and protection of trade routes on the Gold Coast
The weapons eventually became a part of ceremonies The loud explosion from firearms was thought to scare away evil spirits. This resulted in firearms being associated with spiritual and physical defence.
Animal Weightss
The weight shows two birds sitting on a branch facing each other. Birds are one of the most common of the figurative weights. They began to appear in the seventeenth century. The Ashanti believed that birds transcended the boundary between heaven and earth, and that they could mediate between people and spirits
Monkeys feature frequently in Ashanti mythology. It was said that a colobus monkey (efo) accompanied the Creator as he created and named things Once the Creator had finished, the colobus monkey asked as a reward that its name be perpetuated for all time in the names of peoples, nations and occupations.
Another story describes how the Creator made monkeys and tails separately. The monkeys began picking up the tails and played with them When one monkey picked one up and put it behind him, the other monkeys copied They found that when they tried to remove the tails that they had grown to be a part of them and would stay with them forever
There are many proverbs associated with monkeys.
Lizards/chameleons potentially have medicinal associations The Ashanti believed that lying on your stomach was a cure for stomach ache. This was observed through lizards lowering themselves onto their stomach and slowly raising themselves up again.
An Ashanti proverb that talks about the cure for stomach ache says:
Because the lizard knows its belly will become painful, it lies down on it (before the pain comes).
Weapon Weight
Weapons were associated with manhood and also reflected the wealth and status of an individual Swords (afena) had both a practical and spiritual function
The weight on display is possibly an akrafena sword, which represents the soul of the chief. What may indicate that it is a akrafena sword is the depiction of the crocodiles on the sword
These swords would often have cast gold ornaments (abosodee) of animal heads, crocodiles and coiled snakes hanging from the hilt.
It is possible that the crocodiles shown on the sword represents a mythical crocodile that had two heads and necks, which merge into a shared stomach and then splits into two tails
In Twi, funtumfafu denkyem frafu means “Bellies mixed up, crocodiles mixed up”.
The following proverb describes the mythical crocodile:
The two-headed crocodiles have but one belly for both, yet when either of them get anything they fight among themselves for it, for though they both have only one belly for each of their separate heads, each wants the food to pass down its own throat
100 BlackWomen WhoHave MadeAMark
1 October 2024 - 4 January 2025
Featuring original portraits by:
Lauryn Pinard
IllustrationbyPatriciaVester
Leicester Gallery
De Montfort University
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1 October 2024 - 4 January 2025
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