Necklace, three parallel chains with disk
Not on view
For those who cannot afford gold ornaments, imitation jewelry is an acceptable alternative. Rings, necklaces and bracelets made from shimmering, golden straw, artistically worked over a beeswax core are ubiquitous to Songhay peoples of Niger and are colloquially referred to as "Timbuktu gold." Similarly, in Mauritania, ingeniously assembled necklaces worn as wedding adornments are made from delicately odorant golden reeds and are said to have aphrodisiac properties. Although made of humble materials, the designs of these Sahelien creations mirror those employed in metalwork, emulating gold’s resplendence.
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