gold weight. crossed crocodiles, detailed design, ridged tails, one pail broken, uplifted heads with eyes and mouth, segmented legs showing toes, one leg broken. 46.8g
Donor:
Berta Bascom
Collection place:
Ghana
Verbatim coll. place:
Ghana, Ashanti
Culture or time period:
Ashanti
Collector:
Berta Bascom and William Russell Bascom
Materials:
Brass (alloy)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Gold-weights
Function:
7.3 Weights, Measures, and Computing Devices
Context of use:
Notation on card: Verso: Proverb: “Bellies mixed up, crocodiles mixed up; we have between us only one belly, but if we get anything to eat it passes down our respective gullets (Rattray) (Quoted in criticism of a greedy perosn who refuses to share things with his relatives.)“The crossed crocodiles have but one belly, but when eating tthey struggle.” (Menzel)Used in West Africa from 1400s to 1800s to measure gold, for trade or ransom, as charms or amulets, in the observance of customs, and to send messages.
Department:
Africa (except Ancient Egypt)
Dimensions:
width 6.5 centimeters, height 6.5 centimeters, and length 1.5 centimeters
Comment:
PAHMA Storage Loc: 20A, V -28-6 abrammuo, abrambo or brambo = goldweight
Loans:
S1965-1966 #15: Oakland Public Museum (September 16, 1965–November 10, 1965)