Featured (stone?) pendant and chain

This one has me baffled but experience suggests that at least one person here will know everything there is to know about this chain and pendant. I'm posting it here (rather than as jewellery) because it seems too large to actually wear, but mods please move if appropriate. Thanks!

The chain links in particular have me beat. Is this laboriously carved stone of some kind, or resin with the joints cleverly hidden? It is much lighter than it looks, around 330 g / 12 oz for the whole thing (so possibly wearable after all...). The pendant is around 14 cm / just over 5" long.

 

The pendant is based on a Tumi, a ceremonial knife from the pre-Columbian Chimú civilization in coastal Peru.The original Tumi knives were gold.
For some reason that escapes me, the Tumi is now considered a good luck symbol in Peru. That is a recent thing, but people all around the world have picked up on it.

 

Pre-Columbian Tumi:

 

Excellent detective work!!! (yet again)

 

Thanks. Though not really detective work, it is something I grew up with.

Edit: That sounds like I participated in sacrificial ceremonies as a child. Just to assure you, I didn't.

 

Thanks, that's really helpful (and interesting).

Does anyone have any thoughts on the material?

 

I s'pose I'm the same with glass to a certain extent. It's in my blood! lol But, I still love the fact tat I learn something more about it every day. I cannot imagine my life without GLASS!

 

To me, the chain looks like lead? and the pendant looks like soapstone or slate unless it is also metal?

 

I always wondered how you did it.

 

Well, now you know, I didn't.

 

There's no metal in the piece and definitely nothing heavy like lead or slate. It feels a little like soapstone, but doesn't -- to me -- seem weighty enough. So either a less dense stone or a very convincing resin.

I'm hoping (and half expecting) that someone will describe a process I've never heard of and by means of which members of an ancient civilisation magically lightened stone for sacrificial use...

 

Of course you are.
What will be even more interesting, if someone will describe a process you've never heard of and by means of which members of an ancient civilisation magically turned this stone into gold.

 

It's difficult to believe that the chain as been crafted from stone! No joins in any of the links for example.

 

The Chinese carve interlinked stone all the time. I have several pieces, but none on file.
This one isn't mine:

 

obsidian ?

 

The OP's does look to be stone. I'd rather have the one in Any's pic naturally. You can wear jade and high-karat gold.

 

Glad you cleared up that minor area of doubt

 

Unlikely, going by the scratch on the back. Whitby Jet, is also more refined.

 

Looks like this...
https://www.ebth.com/items/8179273-carved-soapstone-tumi

James.