A Nyangatom mother with her baby in front of her village. The neckless she is wearing identifies her as a Nyangatom, originally a Sudanese tribe. This particular neckless is made of plastic. Plastic is now becoming more common as opposed to the more traditional materials like bone or wood. Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2017

The lip plate is made out of wood or clay and is also known as a lip disc or a lip plug. The term “labret” is associated with any kind of lip piercing ornament, including lip plates. Archeologists have discovered evidence of women adorned with labrets in Sudan and Ethiopia (≈8700 bc) and in various countries in South America (≈1500 bc), including coastal Ecuador (≈500 bc). Suri, Southern Ethiopia, 2017.