Gold isn’t something you weigh with the eyes . . . Seeking Provenance for Asante Royal Regalia in the Wyvern Collection: Professor Raymond Silverman
On Tuesday 19 May 2026, the Wyvern Research Institute hosted a lecture by Professor Raymond Silverman entitled 'Gold isn’t something you weigh with the eyes . . . Seeking Provenance for Asante Royal Regalia in the Wyvern Collection'.
The Asante (Ghanaian) proverb featured in the title of the lecture poetically reflects on the challenge of seeking value and meaning in the things we encounter. Taking this proverb as a point of departure, Professor Silverman presented his recent research journey inspired by the Asante goldwork held in the Wyvern Collection, which comprises approximately fifty objects associated with Asante royal regalia.
The lecture explored questions of provenance and historical context that first emerged during Professor Silverman’s Visiting Research Fellowship at the Institute in 2025 and were subsequently developed through fieldwork in Kumasi in 2026. Drawing upon morphological and metallurgical analyses alongside ethnographic research, he presented new insights into the production, circulation and significance of these intriguing objects. The findings shed fresh light on when, where and for whom these works were made, demonstrating how interdisciplinary approaches can deepen our understanding of collections and the histories they embody. The lecture also highlighted the valuable contribution that technical analysis can make to provenance research.
About the Speaker:
Raymond Silverman is Professor Emeritus in the Department of History of Art and the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies at the University of Michigan. In 2002, he joined the University of Michigan faculty to establish an interdisciplinary graduate programme in Museum Studies, serving as its Director until 2012.
A historian of African visual cultures, Professor Silverman has conducted extensive research in Ghana and Ethiopia. His work explores the historical and social dimensions of metallurgy and the visual culture of religion, including Islam and indigenous religious traditions in Ghana, as well as the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. His research has made significant contributions to the study of African art, material culture and museum practice.