Kirdi Scythe Currency

Many pre-colonial African currencies were modeled after objects of inherent practical value. This scythe-form piece used by the Kirdi people of Cameroon would have been formed in honor of the community's reliance on the tool for agricultural harvests. The smith who crafted this currency piece added decorative flair by splitting the blade into the curving beak of a long-billed bird, a creature with spiritual significance throughout many African cultures. The combination of spiritual and agrarian symbolism adds a reverent stature to such a sculptural object.