Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-08-05
Art Among the Ashantees.

The thousand ounces of gold gathered
in such haste by King Koffee, as the first
nstallment of the indemnity demanded by
his English conqueroIs, furnish many Gu
rious and striking illustrations of the arts
tic development of the native goldsmiths,
their skill in working gold-which appears
to be the most common metal of the coun-
try-seems, indeed, to be fully equal to
that of the best European artists, while
their fertility in invention is simply Won
derful.
Among the larger articles brought away
by the English is human head of massive
gold, nearly five pounds in weight; q
CHASTITY object, apparently representing
The head of Il victim gagged for sacrifice.
OF Il more pleasing character, and more
to be preferred as works of art, are two
heavy golden griffins. said to have been
broken from the kings chair of state.
There are, besides, many badges of office
of different STYLES, some of them massive
fibule of wrought gold. like those worn
by the heralds sent by King Koffee to treat
with the English commander, other ofvar
ious patterns according to the office of the
wearer. That of the kings chamberlain
for example, is distinguished by paddock
and keys; the buffers by cups and bowls,
all of solid metal. and for the most part,
castings of eXqisite design.
In addition to these great badges, each
of which contains many ounces of pure
gold, there are Fetish caps ornamented with
gold in repOusSee work, the golden tops of
umbrella and sticks of office, grotesque
lions for the heads Of sceptres, golden jaw
bones, thigh bones, and skulls, u large sac
riicial knife with Il golden handle, and
many indeecribable objects which doubtless
served their purpose in the fantastic cere-
monies of Fetish worship.
Smaller in size, but not inferior in work
manship, are an infinite number and variety
of objects of native design, besides numer-
Gus limitations of the gold work of other
nations and ages; bracelets, some so heavy
rs TO be burden, others of exceeding
hghtneSs and delicacy; necklaces, chains.
pendants, brooches. and rings of curious
yet beautiful shape.
The initiated articles give a striking in
dication of the skill with which the native
workmen copy everything that comes to
them from the outer world. Thus there
are golden padlocks, buckles, bells, and
even watch keys. whose use must have
been unknown. Not the least curious are
several copies of reliluaries, left, perhaps,
by Roman Catholic missionaries in that
benighted land, and reproduced in gold
by the native wOrkmen, with a faithfulne,s
and dclicacy which Chinese might envy
Among the brooches, pendants, badges,
rings. and 50 on, there are forms which are
almost fac SMILES of early Indian orna-
mentS; others approach Egyptian styles;
still others. Scandinavian AMI Anglo SIxon
types. The whole world. in fact. has been
laid under tribute and the relics boarded
in ihis out-of-the-wIy region.
Some of the articles are quite new, and
still hive clinging to them the fine red
loan in which they We're cast. Others az
old and worn, and bear traces of frequent
patches and solicrings. One of the most
remarkable of the ancient pieces is a fine
of an ancient Coptic coin. Two or three
rings We're evidently copied from early
English betrotlial rings. Some of the
necklaces and chains are formed of beauti-
FIJI shells reproduced in gold, while other,
represent seeds and fruit. In every case,
the design is individual and the beauty OF
the Workmanship refreshing to see III con-
trl>t with the machine-made iewelry worn
by modern civilized bellies.
The most noteworthy object N silver
brought from Ashantee is IN enormous belt
or baldrick, to be hung over the neck by Il
massive chain, crossing the breast diagon-
ally. From the belt depend seven or eight
silver shcaths for knives. the use of which
it is not difficult to imagine.-Sciemtifc
4naericuR.