Originating from the Kewa Pueblo (formerly Santa Domingo) and also referred to as “Thunderbird” jewelry, these works were created following the 1929 stock market crash and made using repurposed materials. Traditional materials like turquoise and bone were often times set with rubber, plastics and other discarded resources which resulted in pieces that were both lighter to wear and more affordable for consumers.
If you’re interested there are a few more examples included in the digital gallery for Turquoise, Water, Sky: The Stone and Its Meaning.