Thursday
Collectibles, Gemstone Jewelry, Handmade JewelryNative American Jewelry
The Navajo tribe is known for their fine jewelry craftsmen. Often considered to be works of art, their jewelry is usually handcrafted from locally mined turquoise and Mexican silver, and is frequently enhanced with inlays of coral, oyster shell and other materials such as Gasperite.
Native American Navajo Multicolor Pendant Necklace
Turquoise is known to have been used in early Navaho jewelry prior to the arrival of European settlers. Pendants, ornaments and beads were strung on rawhide straps and worn on clothing and about the body. Later, the Navaho traded for Oyster shell or abalone from the California coast to embellish their designs. The Navaho were introduced to silver by the early Spanish conquistadors but silver didn’t become such and important part of their jewelry until after the Civil War.
Today, modern Navajo silversmiths are often influenced by traditional themes such as wolves, turtles, buffalo and other animals that have symbolic meaning to the tribe. Although gemstones are an important part of Navajo jewelry, the most important feature is usually the intricate, detailed silver design. There are many trading posts in towns, such as Taos, NM, in the four corners area of the southwest, where Native American craftsmen from the Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi tribes, create and sell their jewelry.
I especially like this necklace from Silver Tribe by Navajo artist L. Begay.  The artist used sterling silver, turquoise, oyster shell, Gasperite, Mediterranean coral, blue opal, suguilite and purple coral to create the inlay design. The vivid colors are eye-catching and together with the beautifully etched silver, make for is a stunning piece.
Native American jewelry is distinctive. You can generally tell just by looking at it that it originated in the Southwest and that it was most likely handcrafted by a skilled artisan. The jewerly makes a statement that the wearer is interested in uniqueness, fine art, and history.
Post Tags: coral, gasperite, Navaho, necklace, oyster-shell, pendant, silver, turquoise
