War 1873/74 Ashanti MainLIFE Photo Collection
The Asante kingdom in West Africa, renowned for its military strength and wealth, built one of the continent's most formidable states, particularly famous for its gold resources.
Necklace (19th century) by Unknown Asante artistRoyal Ontario Museum
This wealth is reflected in the art and regalia created from gold.
These objects were taken from the capital Kumase by British forces during the Anglo-Asante war of 1873–4. They were sold to Garrard & Co. Ltd, the Crown Jeweller in London, from whom Richard Wallace bought them.
This head is among the most important and famous works of Asante art. The trophy head probably depicts a decapitated high-status enemy.
sword~sword-sheath~ornament (1800/1899)British Museum
Such heads would have been attached to ceremonial swords.
The Asante's intricate gold jewellery and symbolic ornaments displayed social status and offered magical protection, with designs often tied to cultural proverbs and customs.
The Asante kingdom's expansion and governance were supported by a sophisticated bureaucracy and a strong military, allowing them to control a vast territory that included modern-day Ghana, parts of Togo, and the Ivory Coast.
Their capital, Kumase, was a hub of wealth and trade, connecting sub-Saharan Africa to international markets through the Saharan trade routes.
Gold mining was a significant economic activity using methods such as deep shaft mining.
The arrival of Europeans, beginning with the Portuguese in the late 15th century, shifted trade dynamics, leading to increased demand for enslaved labor in the Americas and reducing traditional Saharan trade.
LIFE Photo Collection
The British, seeing Asante's military prowess as a threat, engaged in repeated conflicts, ultimately leading to Asante's defeat in the late 19th century.
Despite this, the Asante retained their cultural identity and the sacred Golden Stool, symbolizing their resilience.
War 1873/74 Ashanti MainLIFE Photo Collection
In recent times, there have been calls for the return of African artworks taken during colonial times, highlighting the complex issues surrounding ownership and the cultural significance of these objects.
The Hands of the Ashanti King (1993) by Carol Beckwith & Angela FisherAfrican Ceremonies
Many of these objects are displaced and dispossessed, divorced now from their power and context as symbolic representations, and distanced from the religious transactions that existed between them and the people who revered them as spiritual and powerful elements.
