Congolese Handa or Cross Currency

Four arms, one waist, and a patina that has wandered into turquoise.

This Handa or cross currency from the Kasai region is from Kasai, Katanga, Kasai River, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the early 20th century. It is metal. Metal currencies of this kind were cast or forged in forms that differ by region, which makes their shape a useful clue to where they circulated. Flat X-shaped form with arms that flare into slightly uneven paddle ends. Dusty brown and rose tones cover most of the surface, with a streak of blue-green near the lower left and a rough, pitted texture. It is 8 inches wide and 7.5 deep.

A shape that never needed to explain itself.