Between 1400 and about 1908, Akan goldsmiths cast some three million brass weights (mrammuo, singular abrammuo) to measure the locally sourced currency of gold dust. An easily divisible substance that promoted regional trade, gold also held symbolic power as the embodiment of kra (life force) and as the representation of the sun’s earthly partner. Cast from imported brass using the lost-wax method, weights dating as early as the fifteenth century incorporated geometric elements drawn from North African Islamic societies tied to the Akan through trade routes (1998-605 through 1998-634). As artistic skill increased, weights produced from the seventeenth century through the end of the nineteenth century incorporated imagery of people, animals, plants and objects. Like most Akan art, the visual forms of goldweights were closely linked to the verbal art of proverbs (mmε, singular εbε), widely known truth maxims about Akan culture and values. Later figurative weights frequently represented proverbs through both single figures and increasingly complex multi-figure scenes (y1968-34, 1998-636, 1998-637).
In a transaction, both sides would use their own set of weights and equipment to measure the gold dust to ensure a fair exchange. A full set of weights could include hundreds of individual weights as well as a set of gold weighing equipment (futuo). The futuo included scales (n’senia), spoons (n’sawa) for moving dust to the scale pans, scoops (fanfa) and assorted boxes (abamphruwa [1998-603 a-b] and kuduo [1998-604 a-b]) for holding the precious metal in dust or nugget form. Boxes frequently display a variety of metal-working techniques, including casting, repoussé, and incising. The Princeton University Art Musem’s abamphruwa has a relief casting of a crocodile (denkyem) on its lid, a symbol of adaptability seen on objects of royal regalia (y1982-17, 2012-150). Wealthy individuals employed bearers to carry their boxes of gold and weighing equipment, while others carried their weights in small cloth bundles or purses.