Africa, West Africa, Ghana, Asante Empire/Kingdom, Kumasi or probably Kumasi, member of the goldsmit / 1800s
Knife-sheath tip (sika boha)
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Knife-sheath tip (sika boha) as arms and armor (Africa, West Africa, Ghana, Asante Empire/Kingdom, Kumasi or probably Kumasi, member of the goldsmit · 1800s).
Gold objects like this were frequently melted down to make new objects in new fashions.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this arms and armor as Gold.
The museum's collection notes: Gold sheaths covered the cast iron blade of a king’s ceremonial knife ( sikay ), wrapping them with symbolism. In Akan states like the Asante Kingdom, gold embodies life force ( kra ) and is the sun’s earthly counterpart. Only goldsmiths’ guild members could make gold ornaments for the royals and their entourage, or for the royal treasury. Here, the goldsmith used a tool to push the raised floral, leaf, and geometric designs from the back of a soft sheet of gold (repoussé technique). Small dots outlining some motifs were punched into the metal. Similarly decorated gold sheets and solid ornaments capped a knife’s handle.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtKnife-sheath tip (sika boha)Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.