Indian silver jewelry

History of Indian Jewelry

The popularity of the art of Indian silver jewelry in the 20th century can be attributed to a Navajo ("people coming from under the earth") named Atsidi Saani. He learned the art of silversmithing around 1850 in Fort Defiance (Arizona) from a Spanish silversmith and then passed the techniques on to other Indians. Typical for Navajo Indian jewelry Floral patterns are common. Navajo silver jewelry is still often adorned with geometric shapes today. Coral, brass, wood, and natural turquoise gemstones are frequently combined - thus the Navajo symbolize the combined power of fire and water.

The Navajos

The Navajos, with over 300,000 members, form the largest Native American tribe in the United States. More than 140,000 live in northeastern Arizona, over 110,000 in the northeast of New Mexico, and the rest in the northeastern part of Utah and in Colorado. Their reservation covers an area of over 69,000 square kilometers and has a high attraction for many tourists with its attractions and natural wonders such as Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Chaco Culture National Historic Park, Antelope Canyon, Marble Canyon, Rainbow Bridge on the east shore of Lake Powell, the Chuska and Lukachukai Mountains, El Moro National Monument, Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano, Red Rock State Park, El Malpais National Monument, Petrified Forest National Park, and the Hubbell Trading Post. The Navajos refer to themselves as "Diné" ("People") and have their own language, called Navajo or "Diné Bizaad." This language gained fame with the Navajo Code Talkers starting in 1942 during the Pacific War against Japan as a coded communication within the US Navy. Unlike nomadic Indian tribes such as the Apaches, the Navajos engaged in agriculture and livestock farming (sheep, cattle, horses) early on, and their social life takes place in and around their hogans (windowless houses made of wood, brush, and clay). On Arizona State Road 264, one reaches the capital of the Navajo Nation, Window Rock. It is part of the self-governing territory of the Navajo Indians and is located on the 2,100-meter-high Defiance Plateau. The most well-known places within the reservation are Chinle, Kayenta, Tuba City, Cameron, Holbrook, Flagstaff, Page, and Cameron in Arizona, as well as Gallup, Shiprock, Bloomfield, and Farmington in New Mexico.

Navajo Jewelry

When the Navajo returned to their homeland around 1868 – after being driven out by the whites and the Southwest was annexed by the United States – much changed in the lives of the Navajo. They became more settled and had a lot of time to learn from each other. They had previously used copper and brass for harnesses and saddles. But now they began to work with silver as well. The knowledge of silver processing spread quickly, even though they only had very simple tools available. Often, silver coins from Mexico, and later the American silver dollar, were melted down and turned into jewelry.

In the late 19th century, traders recognized the Native American jewelry market and began selling finer tools and pre-made silver to the Native Americans. In turn, they provided finished silver, turquoise, or coral jewelry as collateral for the payment of the acquired items. If the bill was not paid after a certain period, the claim to the Native American jewelry used as collateral expired, which was then referred to as "dead collateral" and could be sold by the trader.

Indian jewelry in today's time

Today, there is a large market for Native American handicrafts in the USA. Many artists live far outside the cities and towns and create their Native American jewelry at home. When they have a few pieces ready, they often drive more than 2 hours to a trading post to exchange their jewelry for money or raw materials. These trading posts, some of which have been around for decades, offer a huge selection of different jewelry pieces. Some traders have more than 1,000 artists selling them their jewelry.

Indian jewelry – Silver and gemstone

Indian jewelry ranks at the top of tourists' preferences and can be found almost everywhere and in all price ranges. In addition to finger rings, rubies & earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, buyers can find hat bands, watch bands, bolo ties, and belt buckles in various variations.

Although no group adheres to just one style, they still have their individual expressions. The Navajo adorn their silver works with turquoise, a stone that is sacred to them.

Silver overlays are typical for the Hopi, while the Zuni often add small set gemstones. The artisans in Santo Domingo Pueblo create unusual mosaic jewelry. Although modern Native American jewelry usually features traditional motifs, the artists interpret the old rules in ever new ways.

 

Navajo Indian jewelry

The Navajo artists and silversmiths have a distinctive manufacturing method. The wonderfully decorated silver work, adorned with flowers, fine wire, or leaves, is usually enhanced with a simple, often very large turquoise. Often, several smaller turquoises or corals are also incorporated into the jewelry pieces. Sometimes, machine-cast silver blanks are used, into which the stones are then set. For more than 1,500 years, there have been turquoise mines in the southwestern USA. In the original area of the Navajos, there is the largest mine: near Cerillos in New Mexico. In the late 18th century, there were only a few turquoise stones that the Navajos could incorporate into their jewelry. It was not until around 1920 that more stones became available. Today, the stones are sourced from mines in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada.

Zuni Jewelry

The Zuni jewelry work is one of the finest and most noble techniques. Usually, turquoise, coral, shells, and jet are intricately worked as mosaics into the silver settings. They impress with their colorful and detailed craftsmanship. It is also said that the Zunis were only able to apply this technique because the railroad ran near the pueblo, making them one of the first tribes to have electric power to operate the machines necessary to grind the stones so precisely.

Hopi Indian jewelry

The classic Hopi silver jewelry clearly stands out from Navajo and Zuni jewelry. It is almost exclusively made from so-called silver overlay. Wonderful shapes and figures are cut out of a silver plate using a very fine saw, which are then soldered onto another silver plate. This creates a depression in the piece of jewelry, resulting in a multidimensional effect. The Hopis have managed to market their art of silversmithing effectively. Of all the Indian silver jewelry available for purchase, the original Hopi jewelry is the most expensive. Nowadays, a lot of jewelry is offered at markets that looks like Hopi jewelry but is not made by Hopis. (Much of it is produced in Mexico).

Bone jewelry

The bone jewelry represents one of the most natural forms of Native American art and was originally used as protection against knife or arrow attacks. There is bone jewelry for the arm (= Bracelet), for the neck (= Choker), and for the chest (= Breastplate). On special occasions (e.g., Native American dance festivals = Powwow), people adorned themselves extensively and festively. The bone jewelry was widely used on these occasions and is still frequently used at today's Powwows.

Choker Neck Jewelry

Chokers are made from bone tubes. They are threaded onto leather strips or tendons and adorned with beads. The chokers are worn around the neck. For the choker, a piece of raw leather and additional beads were placed between the approximately 2.5 cm long tubes. As additional decoration, a shell disc was sometimes placed in the center. Once the choker was completed, it was tied together at the nape of the neck.

Also the Breastplate (= breastplate or also bone armor) is made with bone tubes and threaded. Here, beads and shells were also used. The Breastplate was worn not only by men but also by Sioux women. The difference was that the bone tubes were arranged horizontally for men and vertically for Sioux women.

If you like natural turquoise stone, you will probably like the silver and Bracelet made of silver and turquoise like, which you can find at KOOMPLIMENTS.

If you prefer ethnic designs without colors, discover the Turkish jewelryThey can be easily combined with sober and casual looks, adding an original touch and personality to them.