This object depicting a leopard carrying a small animal in its teeth was cast from brass using the lost wax process by an unidentified artist from present day Ghana. Known in French as cire perdue, lost wax casting necessitates an unparalleled level of precision to create a duplicate metal sculpture from an original clay one. Beginning in the 14th century, Mande-language speaking traders facilitated trade between kingdoms in Western and Northern Africa by navigating the dangerous passage through the Saharan desert. Objects like this one were used to measure the gold dust used as currency, adhering to the Islamic measurement system termed miktal in Arabic. By the 17th century, artists had elaborated complex designs incorporating miniature representations of people, animals, and objects ubiquitous in Akan cultural life. Leopards, associated with constancy and strength, were frequently selected emblems of community leaders across Ghana.
Research Attribution: Dr. Hilary Whitham Sánchez
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