Crescent Pendant with Two Figures
Nuna / Bobo / Lobi, Burkina Faso
Iron
Late 19th / early 20th century

Crescents are generally associated with the moon and the moon with the movement of time. Given the suspension holes at the ends, this pendant was probably worn as a pectoral, and may have been a personal amulet to balance negative forces that were active at the time of the wearer's birth. 

Large lunate pendants allude to the position of the moon in its cycle at the time of the birth of the wearer, the most critical moment not being birth, but a moment before birth when the soul enters the body. Crescent pendants serve a double form of protection associated with an adjustment of cosmic importance offered by the crescent portion and the additional protection of the figures articulated on the pendant (Roy & Wheelock, Land of the Flying Masks, 2007). 

Nearly every example of this type is cast is copper alloy; I am not aware of other iron examples, and this one is especially elaborate. 

Update: A closely related example in iron (pictured below) was offered at auction by Giquello & Associés in June 2023. Attributed there to the Dogon of Mali, it was estimated at €‎3000 - 4000 and went unsold. 

5 x 7 in :: 13 x 18 cm

InventoryID #13-1747

Price on Request