This necklace is a traditional brass ornament of the Konyak Naga tribe. For centuries, the Konyaks have expressed their cultural identity through adornments. Such ornaments, apart from being beautiful, have also signified status, tradition, and imparted the spiritual beliefs of the tribe. This necklace is composed of 2 vital parts: a colorful beading chain and a conch-shaped brass pendant. It has a beaded chain containing colored yellow, white, and black beads along with deep green glass beads intricately strung together using cotton thread. The variety of colors would reflect tribal aesthetics and possibly have some symbolic meanings related to nature, life, and community.
The pendant, in turn, resembles a stylized conch form, usually associated with ritual and spiritual significance, formed of brass. Its dorsal (outer) surface is decorated with delicate slightly raised decorative patterns and has a prominent human face motif, possibly symbolizing certain ancestral spirits or deities. The ventral (inner) surface of the necklace maintains its simplicity, thereby accentuating the contrast and craftsmanship. A cotton thread wraps lower down the pendant as well contributing texture and possibly some symbolic protective measure. Such necklaces would mostly be worn during festivals, rituals, or passed down through generations. They reflect not only ornamentation but provide a living evidence of the people on their artistic heritage and spiritual worldview.