Crafted by East African artisans, this open brass choker holds a round pendant of Ankole cow horn and bone. The natural striations — cream, smoke gray, warm amber — run through the disc in unrepeatable patterns.
- Material: Brass collar with Ankole cow horn and bone disc
- Size: Circumference 14"; disc approximately 2"
- Details: Open-back collar with a slim vertical brass inlay splitting the disc
- Origin / Craft: Handmade in Kenya using ethically sourced horn and bone from Ankole cattle
The brass collar curves into a slim open loop and finishes in two rounded tips at the back. A narrow brass inlay anchors the natural material down the center of the disc. Each piece varies in tone and grain, so no two are alike.
Care: Polish brass gently with baking soda and lemon; keep horn and bone dry and wipe with a soft cloth.
design: An open brass collar curves into a slim loop and finishes in two rounded tips at the back of the neck, suspending a round Ankole horn-and-bone disc pendant split down the middle by a narrow vertical brass inlay.
size: Circumference 14"; pendant disc approximately 2" diameter.
material: Brass collar with an Ankole cow horn and bone pendant disc.
features: Open-back adjustable collar, round horn-and-bone disc pendant, slim vertical brass inlay through the disc's center, natural cream, smoke-gray and warm amber striations
care: Polish the brass gently with baking soda and lemon, and keep the horn and bone disc dry, wiping it only with a soft cloth.
disclaimer: Grain and color in the horn and bone disc vary from piece to piece, so the striations on your necklace are unrepeated.
The Story
The pendant's disc is cut from the horn and bone of Ankole cattle, a breed raised across East Africa and known for its long, sweeping horns and its central place in pastoralist herding economies, where cattle represent both daily livelihood and lasting family wealth. Working horn and bone into ornament is a way of using material left over once an animal has already fed a household — the cream, smoke-gray and amber banding running through the disc isn't dyed or applied; it's the horn's own natural growth pattern, cut and set rather than decorated.
The open brass collar is a more contemporary silhouette than a traditional herding-community ornament: a slim wire that sits open at the back of the neck for easy on-and-off, closer in form to a torque or cuff than to older regional beadwork. Setting that modern brass shape against the horn-and-bone disc brings two working crafts common in the region — brass forming and horn cutting — together in a single piece.
The narrow brass bar running down the disc's center does real construction work as well as visual work: it braces the round of horn and bone, gives the artisan a fixed point to anchor the pendant's bail to the collar's loop, and sets a deliberate line of cool, hard metal against the warm, organic material it holds.
In Kenya, artisans start from horn and bone sourced as a byproduct of the cattle economy, cutting each piece into a flat round disc and sanding and polishing it until the natural grain shows through. A brass bar is shaped and set into a slot cut through the disc's center, then the collar itself is hand-formed from a length of brass wire, curved into a loop and finished with rounded tips at each end. Because the horn and bone are cut from material that already varies in color and pattern, no two discs finish exactly alike.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: Kenya
- Craft Tradition: Ankole horn and bone craft with brass inlay
- Ideal For: Someone who wants a bold, sculptural statement piece with warm, natural coloring rather than faceted stones or bright metal.
- Wear It With: Wear it alone over a simple crew neck or button-down to let the disc's pattern and the open collar's line stand out.
- Purpose: Everyday statement wear, layering piece, gift
- Metal: Brass
Questions & Answers
What is the pendant made from?
The round pendant disc is cut from Ankole cow horn and bone, ethically sourced as a byproduct of Kenya's cattle economy, with a narrow brass bar inlaid through its center.
Will my necklace look exactly like the photo?
Not exactly — the horn and bone disc is a natural material, so the cream, smoke-gray and amber striations on your piece will be uniquely patterned rather than identical to the image.
How do I adjust the fit?
The brass collar is an open, rigid loop that you gently flex open at the back to slip over your head and close around the neck; it isn't clasped or fully adjustable in circumference.
How should I care for the horn and bone disc?
Keep it dry and out of water, and clean it only by wiping with a soft, dry cloth — avoid soaking or scrubbing it.
How do I clean the brass without damaging the pendant?
Polish the brass collar gently with a baking soda and lemon paste, keeping it away from the horn and bone disc, then buff dry.
