In the Ghana region of West Africa, metal casting has been an established method of creating gold objects since the 14th century. The first Akan goldsmiths may have learned their craft from North African immigrants who moved south, especially from Egypt and Morocco, because of the increased demand for such “exotic” goods. The Akan goldsmith would hold a very prestigious position in his community, as a highly skilled craftsman.
The mudfish is a popular motif on rings worn by Akan chiefs during ceremonies and festivals, serving as a symbol of the chief’s subjects. One popular Akan proverb notes that “when the mudfish swallows anything, it does so for its master,” which means that what is good for his subjects is good for the chief. Incidentally, the mudfish is a food fish often found in the same rivers of Ghana in which gold is found. In the mouth of this mudfish is a small frog, another common figure on chiefs’ rings. According to Akan folklore, “a frog’s length is only apparent after death,” suggesting that a chief’s accomplishments are fully appreciated only after his death.
Although Akan art is inextricably connected to the lore and moral teachings of the culture, much of the gold jewelry of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was stylistically influenced by the motifs and patterns found in the jewelry of Victorian Britain. As the British increasingly began to occupy the area now known as Ghana, goldsmiths were introduced to and began to copy the intricately detailed and finely patterned jewelry worn by the settlers. Although Victorian jewelers often incorporated precious and semiprecious stones and pearls, the Akan craftsman used what was most readily available and preferred—gold—to imitate stones and pearls. In this ring, rows of tiny gold beads near the tail of the fish suggest pearls. The tail and fins are rounded and incised with intricate circular lines, and a diamond pattern appears on the head of the mudfish, surrounded by delicate, minutely patterned swirls. The mudfish’s whiskers are made of tightly woven gold cord.
This ring was created using the lost wax method of casting, which begins by carving a model from a block of wax. The wax model is then encased in a thick clay mold. After the mold dries, it is heated by holding it over a pot of hot water, causing the wax to melt and drain out through a tiny duct. Melted gold is then poured into the cavity. After the gold cools, the clay mold is removed, leaving a gold object in the shape of the original wax carving.
This ring, and other important symbols of office, are strategically worn by an Akan chief during important festivals and ceremonies. Akan regalia are meant to display wealth, power, and the continuity of ancestral honor and wisdom. In addition to the mudfish and the frog, there are numerous other animal figures, such as the porcupine, scorpion, monkey, and crocodile that serve as important visual symbols of a chieftain government and the ancestral proverbial wisdom on which that government is based.
