Native American Jewelry – A Short History
Native American Jewelry as we now it today probably had it’s origins in pre-history.Archeological digs has uncovered evidence of the use of shells, turquoise and fetishes that predate the Christian period.
In southern Arizona evidence has been uncovered in the Hohokam excavations dating back to 200 B.C and in central Mexico turquoise from approximately 600-700 B.C and in Central America as a whole circa 900 B.C
The mineral deposit we know today as turquoise is only found in a very limited area of the United States namely the Cerillos and Burro Mountain regions of New Mexico, Kingman and Morenci regions of Arizona, and the Conejos area of Colorado. The prehistoric Indians mined turquoise extensively and turned into jewelry in form of beads and necklaces, however appliqué on shell and other rock was also used. Any jewelry found in New Mexico has proven to have originated in the Cerillos.
Although turquoise has dominated jewelry finds, the spiny oyster shell Spondylus princeps found only the coast of Baja California has also been found proving not only the prehistoric Indian’s love of jewelry but also the existence of a community that traded their goods.
So how is this relevant to the development of Native American Jewelry? Simply that the Hopi and Pueblo cultures of the Rio Grande influenced the Navajo who did not enter the area until sometime between the 14th and 16th Centuries and also of course of course latterly the early Spanish settlers. The Navajo went on to be were instrumental in spreading this jewelry craft to other Southwest tribes.
The nomadic Navajo and their Apache cousins rarely farmed the area within which they roamed. They raided but and stole and developed whatever suited them. They adopted beaded necklaces as prestige items and decorated bow guards known as “ketoh” and concha/concho from their raids from their Spanish and Pueblo victims. In fact this is where they learned their love of personal adornment. The classic Spanish neo Moorish design of crescent and the pomegranate blossom gave rise to the famed Navajo Squash Blossom necklace design.
Eventually, the Spanish influence became dominant in the area and this period of some 200 years and the inevitable trading between raiding led the Navajo to adopt materials for their jewelry craft like German silver, brass and occasionally silver. They wore crosses and crescent-shaped naja’s on rawhide necklaces not as an expression of faith but as symbols of their wealth power and beauty.
The craft was built upon so that eventually the pendant cross was evolved and the naja, into many various designs. The bare rawhide thong was replaced by shells, silver, stone and other metal beads.
The date that the Navajo started to craft silver jewelry is a subject of much conjecture but it is generally accepted that Atsidi Sani – was the first known Navajo silversmith and began working in this metal between 1850 and 1860 and his craft survived the enforced interment by the US Cavalry of the whole tribe in 1864.
The very earliest silverwork by the Navajo was mainly on belts, necklaces ,bow guards ,concho’s and tobacco flasks. By the 1880’s this had been extended to include hair ornaments,rings,bolos,pins earrings and buckles. The traditional Navajo hammered work and turquoise that they had been using for centuries was incorporated in to the designs with the newer materials. Often the source of the Navajo raw sterling silver was actually US and Mexican silver coins and even silver candle sticks.
Eventually, Atsidi Sani silver smithing spread throughout the area. The Zuni, already recknowned for their metalworking skills manufacturing items in copper, brass, and iron adopted their skills to silver working. The first Hopi silversmith was done in the Navajo style having been taught by Atsidi Sani. New skills such as soldering were learnt enabling even more sophisticated techniques to be used.Traditional tribal craft strengths and motifs were enhanced and given a new lease of life
Today’s Native American Indian silversmiths are also very skilled goldsmiths and lapidaries. No longer can it be said that because a piece of jewelry is in the Zuni style must be Zuni manufactured. These new Indian craftsmen cross the old tribal boundaries not only in actual tribal style but different tribes may now be represented on the same piece of jewelry. That is not to say however that the finished piece is not equally as stunning as the older styles, they have merely taken a craft that has its roots deep into prehistory and made it available for the 21st century patron.
