The Asante Aya Kese, or great brass basin

The Asante Aya Kese, or great brass basin, a Ghanaian ceremonial bowl, which originally stood outside the royal mausoleum at Bantama, 1817 (c)-1896 (c). Around the rim the sides flatten out forming a lip with baluster knops and on either side are a pair of crouching lions, facing each other with mouth open. Inside of the bowl is chased all round with lines of grooves from the maker's hammer. Brought from Kumasi, West Africa, during the 3rd Ashanti War, 1896 (c). The bowl was first described by Bowditch in 1817 as being used to collect the blood of beheaded sacrificial victims by the Kings of Ashanti. Rattray (p113) says however that this is incorrect

1817 Asante Ashanti Baluster Basin Beheaded Bowditch Chased Collect Crouching Described Either Flatten Forming Ghana Ghanaian Grooves However Incorrect Kumasi Mausoleum Rattray Sacrificial Says

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