Cleveland Museum of Art

Knife-sheath tip (sika boha)

Date

1800s

Medium

Gold

Culture

Africa, West Africa, Ghana, Asante Empire/Kingdom, Kumasi or probably Kumasi, member of the goldsmiths' guild

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Gold sheaths covered the cast iron blade of a king’s ceremonial knife ( sikay ), wrapping them with symbolism. In Akan states like the Asante Kingdom, gold embodies lifeforce ( kra ) and is the sun’s earthly counterpart. Only goldsmiths’ guild members could make gold ornaments for the royals and their entourage, or for the royal treasury. Here, the goldsmith used a tool to push the raised floral, leaf, and geometric designs from the back of soft sheet of gold (repoussé technique). Small dots outlining some motifs were punched into the metal. Similarly decorated gold sheets and solid ornaments capped a knife’s handle. Gold objects like this were frequently melted down to make new objects in new fashions.

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