TERA Gallery - African Art and Antiquities

"Altering The Way You View The World Of Art"
Type of Object:     
    Yoruba Bronze Ankle Currency
    17th c.

    Magnificent old antique bronze ankle legband prestige
    object used to cache (store) wealth and as currency in rare
    but major transactions. Certainly the largest, most
    impressive currency piece of this style and dates to well
    over 300 years in age.


Ethnic Group:   
    Yoruba    


Country of Origin:          
    Nigeria


Material:          


Dimensions:
    10.5" in outer diameter by 1.5" thick with a 7.5" inner
    opening, weight is 10 pounds   


Reference:                  
Reference

    Roberto Ballarini, Armi Bianche Dell'Africa Nera (Black
    Africa's Traditional Arms), Africa Curio, Milano 1992. 128
    Pages. pp114#72a?,72b?

    Eyo, Ekpo.  NIGERIA AND THE EVOLUTION OF MONEY.  
    Lagos: Central Bank of Nigeria, 1979.

    German Museum Collection - p2?

    Quiggin, Alison Hingston.  A SURVEY OF PRIMITIVE
    MONEY: THE BEGINNINGS OF CURRENCY. Reprint.
    London: Spink & Son, 1978. p90,plate1

    Roberto Ballarini, Ferrie Monete dell' Africa Equatoriale,
    Galleria Africa Curio-Milano 1998. 37 Pages. p5

    Opitz, Charles J.  ODD AND CURIOUS MONEY:
    DESCRIPTIONS AND VALUES. Second Edition. Ocala,
    FL: First Impressions Printing, 1991. p69