Cast Brass Weights of stylized bovid heads for weighing gold dust. Gold was extremely important in the economic and political life of the Akan kingdoms of southern Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Until the mid 19th century, gold dust was the primary form of currency in the region [2048×2048]

From the 19th century now housed at Muséum de Toulouse. These pesons are multiples of the weight of the seed of Abrus precatorius (0.14 to 0.19 g) which was used as reference for any weighing. In order to measure precise amounts of gold, an elaborate system of weights, usually made of cast brass, developed by the seventeenth century. Beyond the usual function, the weigh of gold, often refer to political power, reproducing in miniature regalia, and some virtues such as wisdom proverbs generally comment. Today, the national currency has replaced the precious metal and the system weight is no longer relevant since the early twentieth century.