The japor snippet functioned as a token of good fortune. A young Anakin Skywalker presented it to Padmé Amidala as a gift during their journey to Coruscant aboard the J-type 327 Nubian royal starship in 32 BBY. Skywalker crafted it from japor ivory wood he obtained through bartering, carving traditional Tatooine sand symbols into the wood. He then strung it with jerba leather.
The japor snippet during the Clone Wars
Thirteen years later, Amidala still possessed the japor snippet. It was stored in a box along with Skywalker's Padawan braid. She would wear it privately when in the company of her husband.
As she was dying, after Skywalker's turn to the dark side of the Force, and following the birth of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, Amidala entrusted the japor snippet to Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Master who had previously been Skywalker's Master and would later become her son's Master, asking him to safeguard it. However, Kenobi did not fully grasp the significance of her action, only perceiving her general feelings about it, and thus returned it to her.
Following her death, the japor snippet remained with Amidala's body during her funeral procession. It was buried with her in a privately owned mausoleum.