Ashanti Forowa or Gold Dust Container

Bright blue-green over dark metal, hammered and punched out of sheet brass.

The Akan used the forowa to hold things such as gold dust and shea butter, and their decoration was worked from the surface. This tall Ashanti example from Ghana, 20th century, stands seven inches, with a conical, ribbed lid ringed with scallops and leaf shapes. The body’s central band of crosses, grids and starburst motifs is washed in corrosion the color of shallow water. Below, a copper-toned foot is decorated with repeating arches.

The colors do the talking.

Let them.