Goldgewichte aus Ghana by Brigitte Menzel, published in 1968 by the Museum für Völkerkunde, is an important scholarly study of traditional West African goldweights, with particular focus on the Akan peoples of Ghana. This specialized volume examines the intricate brass weights historically used in the gold trade, offering detailed analysis of their forms, symbolism, craftsmanship, and cultural significance.
Goldweights (known as abrammuo) played a central role in pre-colonial and early colonial West African commerce, where gold dust functioned as currency. Menzel’s work documents the evolution of these weights from simple geometric forms to elaborate figurative designs representing proverbs, animals, human figures, tools, and scenes from daily life. Through careful typological classification and photographic documentation, the book provides a structured framework for identification and comparative study.
Goldgewichte aus Ghana situates Ghanaian goldweights within broader economic and anthropological contexts, exploring their use in trade networks, their relationship to oral tradition, and their symbolic function within Akan society. Menzel’s academic approach makes the book particularly valuable for ethnologists, museum curators, art historians, and collectors of African art and material culture.
Published by a major ethnographic institution, the 1968 edition reflects museum-quality scholarship, typically including detailed plates and catalogued descriptions suitable for reference use. For collectors of African art, scholars of West African trade systems, and those interested in Ghanaian cultural heritage, Goldgewichte aus Ghana remains an authoritative and enduring contribution to the study of traditional African goldweights.
Condition – Very Good Orange cover with black title showing moderate edge wear and scuff marks. Spine text legible but the sine is cracked in line with a well used book. Binding is secure and the content with foldouts and plates unblemished.
