Pendant in the Form of a Sawfish In Ghana and the Ivory Coast,
regions that acquired great wealth from the mining and trading
of gold, rulers displayed their status by wearing a profusion of
gold ornaments, even attaching such objects to umbrellas and
swords. Although many of these ornaments are abstract geometric
shapes, some represent human faces or animals, as in the piece
shown here depicting a sawfish. Such works were made using the
lost-wax casting method, in which a clay mold was made around a
modeled wax form. The mold was then heated and the wax poured
out, after which molten gold was poured in and solidified in the
form of the original wax model. - Cultures: Ebrié; or Adjukru;
or Alladan - Medium: Gold - Geographical Locations: - Dates:
19th century - Dimensions: 2 3/16 x 3/8 x 2 15/16 in. (5.5 x 1 x
7.5 cm) (show scale) - Collections:Arts of Africa - Museum
Location: This item is on view in South Gallery, 1st Floor -
Accession Number: 49.32.2 - Credit Line: A Augustus Healy Fund -
Rights Statement: