Item number: A58

Year: AD 1600-1700

Material: copper

Size: cross 135 x 50 / mini cross 12 x 14 / mould 30 x 18 x 10 mm

Weight: 157.73 / 12.14 / 2.07 g

Provenance: Phidias 2023

This object comprises Katanga cross, miniature version of Katanga cross, and mould for the miniature version, which were once utilised as currency in certain regions of Africa.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Katanga crosses in specific regions of the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo were not only regarded as a form of currency but also frequently employed as burial or sacrificial artefacts. These crosses symbolised power and prestige, deriving their name from the affluent Katanga region in the southeast of the country.

The Katanga region, located in the present-day Shaba Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, gained renown for its abundant copper mineral resources. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, this region adopted a distinctive form of currency, specifically comprised of large and weighty copper crosses. These crosses were crafted by local copper artisans and were utilised in daily transactions. For instance, one cross could be exchanged for 10 kilogrammes of flour or 6 axes, while two crosses were deemed sufficient to acquire a single firearm.

The manufacturing technique employed for this form of currency involves the lost-wax casting method, wherein molten brass is poured into a sand mould and allowed to cool. This technique has been in existence since the 13th century AD, with the earliest copper crosses discovered even in ancient tombs in the southern Katanga region. These historically significant crosses not only played a role in economic transactions but also encapsulated the essence of local culture and art.

物件編號: A58

年代: 公元 1600-1700 年

材料: 銅

尺寸: 十字 135 x 50 / 迷你十字 12 x 14 / 迷你模具 30 x 18 x 10 mm

重量: 157.73 / 12.14 / 2.07 g

來源: 菲迪亞斯 2023

此物件為喀坦加十字、迷你版喀坦加十字以及迷你版的模具，曾作為非洲部分地區的貿易用貨幣。  

在19世紀和20世紀初，喀坦加十字在當今剛果民主共和國的特定地區不僅被視為一種貨幣，還常作為陪葬品或祭品。這些十字架象徵著權力和威望，其名稱源自該國東南部富饒的喀坦加地區。 

喀坦加地區，位於現今的剛果民主共和國沙巴省，以豐富的銅礦資源而聞名。在19世紀和20世紀初，該地區採用了一種獨特的貨幣形式，即由大而重的銅十字架構成的貨幣。這些十字架是由當地的銅匠製作而成，並被用於日常交易。例如，一個十字架可以兌換10公斤麵粉或6把斧頭，而2個十字架則足以購得一把槍。

製作這種貨幣的技術採用失蠟法工藝，即將熔化的黃銅倒入砂模中並進行冷卻。這種技術早在西元13世紀就已經存在，最早的銅十字架甚至在喀坦加南部的古墓中被發現。這些具有歷史價值的十字架不僅在經濟交易中發揮作用，還承載著當地文化和藝術的精髓。