Gold Kota talisman Pendant “Noma”

Sublime 18-carat gold pendant from the 60s representing a Kota reliquary or protective silhouette from Gabonese art, stylized in a minimalist way. The face has a shimmering gold flat area at the forehead while the lower part of the face is finely engraved. The narrow body has slight reliefs in the shimmering gold. A traditional yet minimalist piece to wear as an amulet around the neck.

Length: 2.1cm without bail, 2.6cm with

Width: 0.9cm

Weight: 1.43g

Italian 18k hallmark

The story: Originating from Gabon, the Kota reliquaries – also called mbulu ngulu – are emblematic ritual objects of traditional African art. Originally made of wood covered with thin brass or copper plates, they are distinguished by their stylized shapes, where geometry and symmetry give a presence that is both protective and spiritual. These effigies embodied the continuity of the link between the living and the deceased, and served as invisible guardians of family memory. Their aesthetics, combining sobriety of volumes and metallic shine, have profoundly marked the history of modern art by inspiring the greatest artists of the twentieth century, from Picasso to Brancusi. Witnesses of a sacred and universal heritage transposed into a piece of jewelry, this motif retains its symbolic force while being part of a timeless elegance: a modern talisman, at the crossroads of African sacred art and contemporary jewelry refinement.