Yoruba Currency Object, Nigeria Nigeria, Akure region, Yoruba Bronze / copper alloy, incl stand. A substantial cast metal currency or prestige object attributed to the Yoruba of the Akure region of southwestern Nigeria, according to information supplied by Wassiu. The revised identification is significant: the object should not be described as a Chamba neck ring, but as a Yoruba metal currency form associated with the Akure region. The object is conceived as an almost complete circle, interrupted by a relatively narrow opening at the upper section. Its massive proportions, considerable weight and carefully balanced geometry give it a distinctly monumental appearance. The thick metal body follows a continuous curved profile and gradually rises toward two opposing terminals. These terminate in broad flattened disc-like elements, each carrying a slender inward-directed projection. The projections approach one another without meeting, creating a narrow central opening and establishing a strong axis of symmetry. Although the circular form superficially recalls a neck ring or heavy body ornament, its identification as currency places its mass and material at the centre of its meaning. In many West African economic systems, cast or forged metal objects could function as recognized expressions of value while simultaneously serving as stores of wealth and objects of social prestige. Such currency forms did not necessarily operate in the same manner as modern coinage. Their roles could include exchange, ceremonial payments, bridewealth, compensation and the accumulation or display of wealth. The substantial quantity of metal embodied in the present object would itself have contributed to its value. The restrained design is particularly effective. Ornament has been subordinated to mass, curvature and symmetry. Viewed frontally, the continuous sweep of the lower section contrasts with the tension created by the narrow opening between the terminals. The result is an object that can be understood simultaneously as currency, material wealth and abstract sculptural form. The surface displays golden-brown to dark brown tones with areas of oxidation, abrasion and lighter coloration. Irregularities in the cast surface and subtle variations in thickness remain visible. The precise age and original economic context of the present example cannot be established from photographs alone. Literature: Karl-Ferdinand Schädler, Encyclopedia of African Art and Culture, Panterra Verlag, Munich, 2009. Jan Hogendorn and Marion Johnson, The Shell Money of the Slave Trade, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1986. George W. Ellis, Negro Culture in West Africa, Neale Publishing Company, New York, 1914. Some of the information and photos are generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history documents. All information and photos are protected by copyright. Inv. No. MAZ28614 Legal Framework Under the 1970 UNESCO Convention in combination with the Kulturgutschutz Gesetz (KGSG) any claim for the restitution of cultural property becomes time-barred three years after the competent authorities of the State of origin obtain knowledge of the object’s location and the identity of its possessor. All bronzes and terracotta items offered have been publicly exhibited in Wolfgang Jaenicke Gallery since 2001. Organisations such as DIGITAL BENIN and academic institutions such as the Technical University of Berlin, which have been intensively involved in restitution-reseaches (translocation-project) over the past seven years, are aware of our work, have inspected large parts of our collection and have visited us in our dependance in Lomé, Togo, among other places, to learn about the international Art trade on site. Furthermore, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) in Abuja, Nigeria, has been informed about our collection. In no case in the past have there been restitution claims against private institutions such as the Wolfgang Jaenicke Gallery Our Gallery addresses these structural challenges through a policy of maximum transparency and documentation. Should any questions or uncertainties arise, we invite you to contact us. Each matter will be reviewed diligently using all available resources.