Mfunte Iron Currency

In many pre-colonial regions of Africa, iron was so valuable that tools often doubled as currencies for rare but significant transactions. This large iron form is a currency piece from the Mfunte peoples of what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is shaped in a flat, waisted form meant to resemble an animal hide. With its clean lines and irregular surface texture, the currency piece resembles a minimalist metalwork sculpture, commanding space with its simplicity.