The balangandam is an amuletic pendant worn by Bahian slaves during the colonial and imperial eras, usually hung from the belt. Comprised of a frame from which hung numerous charms or fetishes they were usually the work of pretosi or black craftsmen, show great ingenuity and often, as in the case of this example, include an admixture of ancient African symbols and Christian and Judaic symbols (see Raul Lody, Pencas de Balangandas da Bahia, Salvador: Museu Carlos Costa Pinto, 1988)