Bronze spoons with sculpted handles, decorated with finely chiselled patterns, used for collecting gold dust. In the centre, a balance scale

Imagine a world where gold is not just a commodity, but the currency of a civilization and, above all, the vehicle for profound wisdom. We invite you on a journey to the heart of West Africa, to the kingdom of the Akan people [2], an ethnic group that flourished between the 15th and 19th centuries in what is now Ghana and the Ivory Coast. This is where the system of gold weights, or abrammoo, was born—a treasure measured not in carats, but in knowledge. The wealth of kingdoms like the Ashanti was based on the control of gold mines. In an era without banknotes, gold dust was the engine of the economy, and to measure it with precision, the Akan developed a system of weights that became the soul of their society. Made with the sophisticated lost-wax casting technique, the weights were not just measuring instruments, but true works of art full of meaning. Their production was a sacred art, carefully passed down by master artisans who etched an entire encyclopedia of moral principles into bronze and brass. Each weight is the embodiment of a proverb or a philosophical concept. Knowing its meaning was essential not just for trade, but for all of social life. The weights were used to settle disputes, sanction agreements, and impart life lessons, turning every transaction into an opportunity for teaching and justice. The weight depicting a bird turning to look backward, for example, is not a simple ornament, but the embodiment of the proverb Sankofa, which means “It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.”

Gold weights representing animals

The symbols carved into the gold weights were not unique. In fact, they often mirrored the famous Adinkra symbols, a system of ideograms and proverbs that the Akan people used to decorate textiles, particularly those worn during ceremonies and funerals. Adinkra literally means "goodbye," but its symbols, such as the famous Sankofa or Gye Nyame (a symbol of God's supremacy), were a way to transmit a legacy of wisdom and moral values. The presence of these same symbols on the weights demonstrates the interconnectedness of the various forms of Akan art and reinforces that trade was not separate from spirituality and philosophy. The gold weights were, in a sense, the three-dimensional, metallic version of a symbolic language that permeated every aspect of Akan life.

Beyond their economic and moral function, the gold weights were a powerful symbol of social status and lineage. Possessing a vast collection of these objects did not just mean being rich, but, above all, being the holder of great knowledge. This wisdom was the key to maintaining social order; the weights acted as an institution of law, justice, and morality. They could be used as evidence in a debate or as a guarantee in an agreement, with each proverb serving to remind the community of its rules of conduct. The knowledge of proverbs was therefore an essential part of social competence, and those who held this wisdom had a prominent role, often acting as an arbitrator in disputes or a wise counselor. The weights were a tangible testament to intellectual heritage, a way of passing down the history and values of a lineage through objects that could be touched and used every day. The importance of the gold weights does not stop at the borders of Akan culture. The anthropologist Georges Niangoran-Bouah has suggested that the complexity of some of these symbols may have deeper roots, perhaps connected to ancient African scripts, such as the Egyptian hieroglyphs [1]. At the same time, some weights bear symbols that are found in cultures far away. This is the case with the swastika, which in Akan culture and many other ancient civilizations represents movement, cyclicality, and creative force. The Akan weights are a fascinating reminder that art, wisdom, and law can merge into a single object. Through this series of articles, we will continue our journey, exploring the language of some of their most significant symbols.

Bibliography

[1] Niangoran-Bouah, G. (1984). L'univers Akan des poids à peser l'or. Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines.

[2] AA.VV. (2012). The Akan of Ghana: Their Culture and Identity. Ghana Publishing Corporation.

*Board Member, SRSN (Roman Society of Natural Science)
Past Editor-in-Chief Italian Journal of Dermosurgery