Akan (Ghana) Comb Wood

Another design on display within these combs is the interlacing Adinkira form evident at the top of a comb. Best known as patterns related to cloths, adinkira designs are commonly worn in Asante women's clothing. Highly geometric and abstract, the adinkira shapes denote strength in terms of their forms and patterning.

Akan (Ghana) Comb Wood

Designs, patterns, and shapes such as inverted hearts, chevrons, mosque friezes, and checkerboards provide more insight into the bold and extensive system of symbols within Asante culture. Most prevalent is the Asante interest in asymmetry which derives from the Moslem belief (and African acceptance of this belief) that only God can complete a geometric pattern and thus, humans cannot design these items symmetrically. Return to previous page.