Featured Help with Silver and Black Beads Necklace

I think I should know how these beads are made, I just can't come up with it. I tested them and the metal is sterling. It looks like the silver pieces are embedded in a black ground like damascene but it doesn't look like the damascene I am used to seeing.

The surface of the black looks mat, almost porous. It looks through a loupe like after the silver was inset the surface was filed or sanded to make both the metal and the black ground the same hight. Does that make sense?

I posted this on one of eBoo's boards and got suggestions of damascene, niello, wood, horn and pique. I don't think wood or horn because I don't see wood grain or the texture I would expect from horn. Someone suggested tribal, I just don't know, I googled all of them and can't find a match. This is the closets thing I found but it is clearly wood and much more primitively done.

Anyway, if anyone had any ideas I would be very grateful

 

lovely. looks a bit like old coconut.

 

Marie, could we see the clasp? I think it is some kind of damascene work, does the dark 'stuff' feel cold to the touch, like metal?
I have the feeling I've seen it before, I'm searching my memory. Hopefully it will come to me.

 

Hm. Heavy or light? Cold or warm? Looks almost like a cross between a damascene and niello techniques.

 

Heavy, warm to the touch.

Any Jewelry, this is what I have for the clasp until I can take a better shot in focus. It is a simple hook made by looping and winding the silver wire:


Help from the eBoo board got me searching, I think Mauritanian inlaid ebony or resin beads is what I have. I found the following links though they are not as fine as the ones I have:

https://www.thebeadchest.com/collections/black-beads/mauritania

https://www.etsystudio.com/listing/513225943/mauritanian-jumbo-bead-silver-inlay

These seem closest, they are resin:

https://www.thebeadchest.com/collections/all/products/round-mauritanian-inlaid-resin-beads

 

That was one of my thoughts, I googled Mauritanian jewellery but couldn't find these. But you are absolutely right, Mauritanian.
Mauritania often combines silver with ebony as well, so silver and black made me think of Mauritanian. Ebony and ebony lookalikes like dark resin are luxury materials in a desert country.
A hook clasp is often a sign of ethnic jewellery. The way the hook is made, helps to narrow it down to a region.

 

Thank you Any Jewelry, I appreciate your thoughts