Dogon necklace

Country: Mali

Material: forged iron, Hombori stone

The ancient stones in these necklaces are believed to have captured the spirits of dead ancestors. Dogon men and women wear iron "Dugo" necklaces which connect them with the spirit of the ancestor whose essence they have inherited. The Dugo are said to contain the "Nyama," or vital force, of the ancestor. The ancestor protects and teaches the wearer, while the wearer nourishes the ancestor's memory through sacrifices.