This necklace is of braided black leather adorned with natural cowrie shells with a single small brass mask pendant. Necklaces of this type are by tribal people of Mali for protective purposes, as well as personal adornment. The leather is made from goatskin. Such a necklace is imbued by tribal healers with medicinal or spiritual value which defend the wearer from whatever he or she may consider to be threatening to them. Each small brass mask pendant is individually hand cast using the traditional lost wax casting method so no two are exactly alike.

 7/8 to 1 3/8" pendant height (2.2 to 3.5 cm), 7 1/2 to 8 1/2" necklace length (19 to 22 cm)