Kotoko Ring with Snake Motif

It looks like a fruit, or perhaps a small jewel from the sea.

Kotoko metalworkers of Chad, Central Africa, cast this ring with a snake motif in bronze in the 20th century. Snake imagery appears in West and Central African metalwork and is often associated with protection and strength. The bezel is a large oval boss covered in raised, interlocking scales or coils, a dense mass of knobs in warm yellow bronze. The band that supports it is thin and darker. The surface is worn, and the details are softened.

About 1.8 inches tall. A good ring for people who stop conversations.