AFRICAN EMPIRES: ADINKRA JEWELRY

"Adinkra" means "Farewell" in the native tongue of the Akans of the Ashanti Empire. It is a collection of traditional symbols developed out of belief systems that were formerly used to convey messages by the Ashanti. It was the main form of communication at funerals.

Adinkra consists of a huge variety of symbols that the Akans used to portray their spirituality, beliefs, sentiments, wisdom, philosophy and values. It later developed into an African writing system composed of imagery. Over time, the use of Adinkra symbolism has expanded gradually beyond the African continent and is still widely used among peoples of African origin all over the world.

The Ashanti Empire has become one of the most conspicuous among other powerful ancient African empires. To this day, the popularity of Adinkra remains a testament to the long-standing opulence and splendor of the Ashanti empire, coming in a close second to the Kente cloth.

 We use eight Adinkra symbols in our current collection. Here is a quick overview of all eight in no specific order:

1. Gye Nyame - Supremacy of God



To view or shop the entire collection of Adinkra jewelry, click here.