Jewelry has been a cornerstone of human culture for centuries, with each civilization leaving its unique mark on the art of adornment. When it comes to jewelry, Africa has a rich and diverse history that cannot be summed up singularly. This article explores the historical significance and diverse designs of gold rings in Africa, from ancient times to modern interpretations.
Historical Significance of Gold in Africa
It was copper, not Gold, that was considered the most important metal in most African societies, according to an authoritative study by Eugenia Herbert. Employing archaeological evidence as well as historical documentation, Herbert concluded that copper had more intrinsic value than Gold and that the few exceptions reflected a borrowed system of values from the Muslim or Christian worlds.
However, more recent historical investigations into the relative values of Gold and Copper across different African societies undermine this broad generalization. While there's plenty of evidence that Copper and its alloys were indeed the most valued metal in many African societies, there has also been increasing evidence for the importance of Gold in several societies across the continent that cannot solely be attributed to external influence.
Ancient Nubia
In ancient Nubia where some of the continent's oldest gold mines are found, Gold objects appear extensively in the archaeological record of the kingdoms of Kerma and Kush. Remains of workshops of goldsmiths at the capital of classic Kerma and Meroe, ruins of architectural features and statues covered in gold leaf, inscriptions about social ceremonies involving the use of gold dust and objects, as well as finds of gold jewelry across multiple sites along the Middle Nile, provide evidence that ancient Nubia wasn't just an exporter of Gold, but also a major consumer of the precious metal.
Gold objects from ancient Nubia at the Boston Museum; Bronze dagger from Kerma with gilded hilt, 18th century. BC, Isis gold pectoral from Napata, 6th century BC, earrings and ear studs from Meroe, 1st century BC-3rd century CE.
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Senegambia Region
In the Senegambia region of west Africa, where societies of mobile herders constructed megaliths and tumuli graves dating back to the 2nd millennium BC, a trove of gold objects was included in the array of finery deposited to accompany their owners into the afterlife. The resplendent gold pectoral of Rao, dated to the 8th century CE is only the best known among the collection of gold objects from the Senegambia region that include gold chains and gold beads from the Wanar and Kael Tumulus, dated to the 6th century CE, which predate the Islamic period.
Gold Coast (Ghana)
Equally significant is the better-known region of the Gold Coast in modern Ghana, where many societies, especially among the Akan-speaking groups, were renowned for gold mining and smithing. The rulers of the earliest states which emerged around the 13th century at Bono-Manso and later at Denkyira and Asante in the 17th and 18th centuries, placed significant value on gold, which was extracted from deep ancient mines, worked into their royal regalia, stored in the form of gold dust, and sold to the Wangara merchants from Mali.
Rao pectoral, 8th century CE, Senegal, Institut Fondamental d’Afrique Noire Cheikh Anta Diop. Pendant dish, Asante kingdom, 19th century, Ghana, British Museum.
Internal vs. External Demand
While Africa's gold exports increased during the Islamic era and the early modern period, the significance of these external contacts to Africa's internal demand for gold was limited to regions where there was pre-existing local demand. For example, despite the numerous accounts of the golden caravans from Medieval Mali such as the over 12 tonnes of gold carried by Mansa Musa in 1324, no significant collection of gold objects has been recovered from the region (compared to the many bronze objects found across Mali’s old cities and towns). A rare exception is the 19th-century treasure of Umar Tal that was stolen by the French from Segou, which included 75kg of gold and over 160 tons of silver.
Domestic demand for gold in Africa was thus largely influenced by local value systems, with external trade being grafted onto older networks and patterns of exchange. Examples of these patterns of internal gold trade and consumption abound from Medieval Nubia to the Fulbe and Wolof kingdoms of the Senegambia, to the northern Horn of Africa.
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Southeast Africa
This interplay between internal and external demand for gold is well attested in the region of south-east Africa where pre-existing demand for gold -evidenced by the various collections of gold objects from the many stone ruins scattered across the region- received further impetus from the Swahili city-states of the East African coast through the port town of Sofala in modern Mozambique. At its height in the 15th century, an estimated 8.5 tonnes of gold went through Sofala each year, making it one of the world's biggest gold exporters of the precious metal.
Pair of wooden sandals, covered with an ornamented silver sheet with borders made of attached silver drops, and a golden knob for support. Swahili artist, 19th century, Tanzania. SMB museum.
Designs and Styles of Gold Rings
In a traditional sense, African jewelry was worn on the neck, waist, ears, arms, legs, and toes. Jewelry was also worn in the hair and was often pierced, strapped, or sewn onto garments. Popular looks included earrings, nose rings, headdresses, headbands, clasps, corsets, anklets, and more.
Materials used for jewelry depended on what was available locally although trade systems were in place that allowed for outside influence. Nigeria provides one example, utilizing a lost method of bronze casting which was developed by the Yoruba (13th century). To this day, Southern and Eastern Africa have more open cultures in the sense that inhabitants can wear beaded accessories. However, in Yoruba culture, jewelry remains confined to rulers.
Ivory Coast jewelry was created from distinct inspiration. Artisans crafted jewelry that depicted local animals. Wrought iron was used to craft Senufo bracelets that resembled sacred pythons. The Ashanti community fashioned helmets made from stiffened hides, decorated with wood adornments and often gold leaves.
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Senegalese goldsmiths reached particular heights in their craft, becoming experts in gold manipulation, their creations a fusion of African and European influences.
African jewellery is known for being bright, colourful, textural and exquisitely handcrafted from techniques that have been passed down for generations. Much of traditional and tribal African jewellery is crafted from organic materials like hide, porcupine quill, bone, animal teeth, animal hair, seeds, nuts, husks, clay, shells, egg shells, wood, ivory and stone.
One of the prime examples of this is a 13th century wax method that was used to cast Bronze in Nigeria and Benin. Senegal is one of the West-African countries that is most famous for their Gold-work, creating complicated and intricate pieces that were widely replicated in Europe and beyond, but of course, many Europeans passed this off as their own creations! Infact, Sengalese women would bedeck themselves in Gold as a way to communicate a cosmopolitan identity and prestige, and in many ways this was an act of self-empowerment.
What is most interesting about African jewellery is the language of beads. In southern and eastern Africa, beaded jewellery is commonplace amongst all in society. However, in Yoruba culture, beads are only worn by rulers in the form of stunning beaded crowns, and in Cameroon, beads are an expression of a privileged upbringing. However, for thousands of years beads was also a form of African currency.
Gemstones are also widely used in Africa jewellery. These usually include Turquoise, Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphires, Emeralds, Rubies, Topaz, Rose Quartz, Amethyst and Moonstone. Like other countries, these gemstones have accrued talismanic qualities.
One of the most recognisable style of African jewellery is large, sculptural and dignified pieces that alter the body. And it is this alteration and change that is part of the reason why many tribes wear these pieces. One of the most common is the lip dish that is placed on the lower lip of a woman before her marriage.
A Senegalese woman wears clothing and gold jewelry inspired by the fashions of the country's powerful signares -- women who lived in the 18th and 19th century.
Gold Jewellery in Daily Life
Throughout the continent gold jewellery continues to hold importance. This article explores how Africans integrate gold jewellery into their daily life, showcasing a fusion of heritage, artistry and personal style.
In African cultures, gold jewellery is an essential part of ceremonial dress. Special events, like weddings, feature gold accessories worn by brides and grooms. These pieces, including necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and headpieces, carry meaning as they are often heirlooms passed down through generations, symbolizing family traditions and unity.
Beyond aesthetics, gold jewellery holds importance in African rituals. It is utilized in ceremonies to seek blessings, ward off evil spirits, and honor deities. For example, in some cultures in West Africa, gold is thought to have protective qualities and is worn during significant spiritual ceremonies.
In daily life, African women seamlessly incorporate gold jewellery into their attire, blending tradition with modernity. For instance, in countries like Ghana and Nigeria, women often wear gold earrings, necklaces, and bangles as part of their everyday outfits, adding a touch of sophistication and cultural pride.
Apart from its spiritual significance, gold jewellery is a choice for daily wear among Africans. It serves as an accessory that complements both contemporary and traditional outfits. Women commonly adorn themselves with gold earrings, bracelets, and necklaces as part of their ensembles, bringing an element of elegance to their appearance. Similarly, men incorporate gold into their fashion through rings, chains, and cufflinks to express their style preferences and social status.
Wearing gold jewellery is an indicator of one’s position and achievements. In many African societies it is customary to invest in gold as a means of preserving wealth due to the belief that gold maintains its value over time, making it a reliable asset.
Artistic Expression and Craftsmanship
The creation of gold jewellery in Africa showcases the region’s heritage through skilled artisans who use traditional techniques passed down through generations. These craftsmen and women employ methods like hand hammering, filigree, and casting to produce unique designs. The resulting collection of gold jewellery highlights the creativity and talent of artisans.
In addition to the popularity of traditional styles, contemporary African jewellers are gaining recognition by blending old techniques with modern aesthetics. This combination reflects the essence of culture, where traditions seamlessly merge with modern influences. These modern designs often incorporate materials and motifs adding an African flair to the international fashion scene.
African women have recently brought their gold jewellery into the international spotlight, leaving a lasting impact on fashion trends and gracing runways and red carpets around the globe. The combination of Maasai beadwork necklaces with gold details and contemporary Fulani earrings handcrafted by talented artisans has not only symbolized cultural pride, but also served as a form of artistic expression.
Recognized for their talent in merging elements with flair, African designers are creating jewellery pieces that resonate with a diverse audience globally. African women wear their gold jewellery not just as mere accessories, but also these sparkles stand as declarations of identity and heritage. The growing exposure of African gold jewellery has taken its status to new heights, paving the way for new markets and opportunities for local craftsmen.
West African Gold: Akan Regalia from the Glassell Collection
Thomas Bowdich, a British envoy, was one of the first Europeans to venture into the interior of Africa’s fabled Gold Coast. Entering the town of Kumasi, in what is now Ghana, in 1817, Bowdich was stunned to behold a local chieftain encrusted in glittering gold jewelry.
For centuries among the Akan peoples of southern Ghana, kings and their retinues have proclaimed their status in spirited public festivals, where they parade with dazzling gold regalia: necklaces, rings, bracelets, amulets, even gilded muskets and finials for umbrellas (used to shade parading chiefs).
The Ghanaian interior is rich in its deposits, and goldworking was already a well-honed art when Portuguese traders first anchored off Ghana’s rocky coast in the late 1400s. The Gold Coast, as it became known, was soon a center of the worldwide trade in gold, drawing fleets of European merchant ships laden with cargoes of cloth, metalware, firearms and liquor.
Around 1700, the Akan’s most populous ethnic group, the Asante, proclaimed their own “Kingdom of Gold” in the interior. In today’s Ghana-independent since 1957-the Akan peoples comprise some 125 traditional states, or chiefdoms, which endure as vestiges of the country’s precolonial culture. Although these states exist outside Ghana’s formal governing framework, their leaders wield a great degree of local authority.
Over the centuries, the most elaborate goldwork has been commissioned by these ruling elites and brandished at the installation of new chiefs. Historically, these treasures have been central to a community’s identity.
Indeed, an Akan chief’s golden paraphernalia, most of it between 8 and 12 carats, is usually seen as the property of the traditional state. A ruler who drapes himself and his entourage in gold jewelry for all to see demonstrates that the communal treasure is intact.
This demand for new pieces is one reason Akan goldsmithing has always had an innovative flair. Cannons and powder kegs became popular motifs following the Europeans’ arrival. With European influence growing in the late 19th century, the lion-uncommon in Ghana-became popular in Akan art.
Akan chiefs wear a variety of crowns. The gold-leaf lion atop this one reflects the influence of European heraldry. Staffs, topped by gold-covered finials, are the emblems of office for the Akan chiefs' counselors. In most Akan states, gold-ornamented sandals identify a ruler.
Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time
The Sahara Desert was a thriving crossroads of exchange for West Africa, North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe in the medieval period. Fueling this exchange was West African gold, prized for its purity and used for minting currencies and adorning luxury objects such as jewelry, textiles, and religious objects.
The publication Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time draws on the latest archaeological discoveries and art historical research to construct a compelling look at medieval trans-Saharan exchange and its legacy. Featuring a wealth of color images, this fascinating book demonstrates how the rootedness of place, culture, and tradition is closely tied to the circulation of people, objects, and ideas.
These “fragments in time” offer irrefutable evidence of the key role that Africa played in medieval history and promote a new understanding of the past and the present.
Exhibition exploring Senegalese women and gold jewelry [The Morning Call]
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