Wholesale Leather & 7-Cowrie Shell Brass Gold Weight Pendant Necklace - Mali

This heavy, thick single strand twisted leather necklace features a centerpiece leather pendant with 7 natural cowrie shells and a single vintage round gold weight in the center. Necklaces of this type are worn 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. The cowrie shells are authentic, vintage shells that were used or centuries as currency all over West Africa. Each vintage brass gold weight was individually hand cast many years ago using the traditional lost wax casting method so no two are exactly alike. We have this necklace in two colors, natural and maroon. The pendant measures 2 1/4 x 2 1/4" (5.7 x 5.7 cm); the necklace circumference is 22 1/2" (57 cm)