I know what this is but I have no pic to post, so I'll stay on the sideline unless no one else gets this. HINT: you'd find this in a kitchen of about 50 years ago.
Is it some sort of amulet or talisman? It would be used by a "Shaman" or "Medicine Man" and hold medicinal powders or special herbs and would be worn around the neck of a person who is suffering from an illness.
legion has it! It is called a thumbstall and was used to block air passage through a cannon's vent while reloading. This helped prevent premature combustion of the charge.
Because someone else expressed interest in seeing this resumed, I'll start it off with an easy one of something once seen in every household, though an oddity to the younger generation: