Smiths used strong, plentiful iron to make tools and weapons. Farmers broke soil with iron hoes; they cleared forests with iron axes. Warriors fought with iron spears and knives. And to give these everyday iron objects social meaning or power, smiths would embellish them with copper, brass or gold.

Valued metals conveyed special messages

Making an object almost entirely out of copper, brass, bronze or gold transformed it into an emblem of spiritual or political power. Valued metals represented weakness, strength or specific aspects of life. For instance, copper's reddish color often stood for blood - a symbol of birth and death. Its sheen repelled evil and attracted good forces.

 

Knife Iron, wood, brass Republic of the Congo Before 1910
Dagger Iron, zinc, copper over wood The Congo Before 1910
Stirrup Brass Hausa peoples, Cameroon Before 1914
Bowl Brass Nupe peoples Bida, Nigeria 1929
Spear Point Iron Eidegalla, Somalia 1896
Osiris Figure Bronze Egypt 2000-1800 B. C.
Armlet Silver Kabyle peoples, Algeria 1910
Padlock and Keys Brass and aluminum padlock, brass keys Tuareg peoples Hoggar Mountains, Algeria 1925
Pipe Brass Bamum peoples, Cameroon 1914
Bracelet Brass Butschingu, Cameroon 1914
Spoon Brass Benin City, Nigeria 1929
Bracelet Democratic Republic of the Congo
Gold Weight Brass Ashanti peoples, Ghana Before 1928