Bontoc Lingling-O or Tribal Pendant with Split Circle Motif

One inch of gold, and a shape people in these islands have worn for a very long time.

This lingling-o or tribal pendant with a split circle motif is Bontoc, from Baguio, Philippines, and is made of 14 karat gold. The lingling-o is an old ornament form in the Philippines, and among peoples of the northern highlands it has been linked to fertility and prestige, though scholars read it in different ways. Two heavy gold lobes curve toward each other around a narrow central slit, each with a small notch on its inner edge. Black cord is wrapped tightly around the top of the ring. One inch high, three quarters of an inch wide.

Small things have often carried the largest meanings.