#southwestern jewelry

[beyondtheadobe]

[sharkyswaters]

[gemexi]

Get ready to own the most fascinating Southwestern jewelry at Gemexi….

[ayquebella]

Vintage Native Storyteller & Feathers with Turquoise Stones Sterling Silver and Silver 22-Inch Necklace – Glenn and Irene Sandoval - Navajo

Wowww! What an absolutely beautiful and eye-catching storyteller necklace! This gorgeous Native Storyteller necklace has 3 sterling silver pendant charms of a woman retelling a story or an oral history to a group of enthralled child listeners!

Surrounding the storytellers on the 22” long silver paperclip and elongated rings chain necklace are 4 silver feathers topped with bright turquoise stone chips.

This stunning necklace has an undisturbed, natural patina, and beautifully expresses the importance of storytellers in Native life!

[usarinstore]

Huge Wild Horse Jasper Pendant, 925 Sterling Silver Pendant, White Pendant, Natural Stone Pendant, Wild Horse Gemstone Pendant Gift for Her

[gypsystrand]

Gypsy Strand

[madroosterjewelrybox]

[rivertotheseafinds]

Get addicted to That rush when you find that perfect gift for Him at RiverToTheSeaFinds on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RiverToTheSeaFinds

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[flotsamfrommichigan]

Kokopelli Sterling Brooch/Pendant Atkinson Trading

[gemexiblog]

Story of Native American Culture And Jewelry

According to the early European American scholars, Native America was dominated by different clans and tribes. America was home to many different tribes, beliefs, and cultures. During the time, native people traded the food, crafts, fur for the blankets, iron and steel implements, trinkets, firearms etc. with the European explorers and migrants, and they continuously evolved according to the changing circumstances.

Origins of Native American Jewelry

Native Americans were always fond of arts and crafts. During the Neolithic period (7,000 B.C. to 1,000 B.C), Paleo-Indians dug and found multi-color stones in Southwest America. They transformed them into beautiful beads and shells and later they started making jewelry from those beads and shells. They mainly used turquoise, coral and shell to make the jewelry.

Types of Native American Jewelry by Tribe

Zuni

The word Zuni which means beauty is believed to derive from the Western Keres language (Acoma) word sɨ̂‧ni, or a cognate thereof. The Zuni clan is a creative clan. Traditionally, Zuni women made pottery for storing food and water and crafted their clan symbols and designs on the pottery. They made fetish (small idols of animals) and necklaces from stones, mainly turquoise. With time, Zuni became a master stone-cutter. Zuni artisans have familiarized themselves with materials available from all parts of the world.

Navajo 

The word “Navajo” comes from Spanish missionaries and historians who referred to the Pueblo Indians through this term.  They started working on silver in the 19th century. Atsidi Sani was the first Navajo silversmith. In the early century, Navajos used to make jewelry with stones but later in the 19th century, they started creating jewelry of silver and turquoise. Navajo jewelry is famous for large turquoise stones and big, heavy silver.

Hopi

According to the Hopi Dictionary, the primary meaning of the word "Hopi" is "behaving one". They considered themselves as well mannered, civilized, peaceable, and polite. Charles Loloma was the first Hopi who made jewelry of gold and multiple stones together. It totally transformed the Hopi jewelry and gave it a completely new look. They are famous for their Kachina dolls and designs of fine jewelry, specially sterling silver jewelry. 

Kewa Pueblo

In the early century, Kewa Pueblo people were known as Santo Domingo. They are mainly known for their heishi necklaces.Pottery is an important art form and utilitarian craft from Kewa Pueblo. Kewa Pueblo jewelers are also known for creating pieces with mosaic inlay on shell or bone. They made beautiful and colorful necklaces which were mistakenly identified as “Depression Jewelry”. Kewa jewelers are still making these necklaces in large numbers.

Apache

Apache are distant cousins of Navajo. Before migrating to the southwest, they used to live together. Apache made buckskin shirts, ponchos, skirts and moccasins and decorated them with colorful beadwork.They were known for their beadwork. Both Apache men and women were fond of jewelry. They wore a variety of jewelry made with strung beads of shell and turquoise. A number of necklaces were worn by the apache women simultaneously. They usually used traditional color combinations such as black and white, red and yellow, or pale blue and dark blue. San Carlos Apache jewelers are popular for their jewelry of peridot, green gemstones, necklaces and other jewelry. 

Native American Art

Native American were also known for their art and craft work. Three popular arts include  painting, basketry, textiles, or photography, as well as monumental works, such as architecture, land art, and public sculpture. Native American ceramic artwork is a popular artform. In the early 1900s, Maria Martinez and her husband Jilian started making traditional black-on-black pottery, later for which San Ildefonso Pueblo became widely known. Ceramics are used for serving and storage vessels, utilitarian cooking vessels, pipes, funerary urns, censers, musical instruments, ceremonial items, masks, toys, sculptures, and a myriad of other art forms. Some of the ancient art work was similar to the western art form. Since the early 1900s, Native American art has had a complicated history with museum representation. The Exposition of Indian Tribal Arts was the first show which held native American art on display on a wide scale. They displayed their art until the 1960s. 

Where Can You Buy Collection Of Native American Jewelry?

You can check out the wide collection of native American jewelry at Gemexi. To check the collection at https://www.gemexi.com/explore/featured-jewelry/native-american-style-jewelry

[jhungajewelry]

Turquoise Pendant, Sterling Silver, Vintage Pendant, Unique Pendant, December Birthstone, Tibetan Turquoise Jewelry, Ultimate Pendant Gift

[beyondtheadobe]

[sharkyswaters]

[gemexi]

The superb craftsmanship involved in making Southwestern jewelry ensures its distinct design and top-notch quality….

[hustlemeanokay]

Beads. Yeah. I kinda been workin' with them lately :D

From glass "czech" beads to glass seed beads and quartz beads and reg. ol' plastic ones! Jewelry sets with earrings and rosary style necklaces to LGBTQ prayer beads (because I said so, that's why!)

Handmade Czech and Glass Bead Triple Moon Goddess Pagan Necklace and Earring Jewelry Set $21

Glass Mushroom Beaded Necklace and Earring Set $18

Handmade Southwestern Arrow Head Seed Bead Rosary Style Necklace and Earring Jewelry Set $46.50

Handmade Jade and Quartz Rosary Style Necklace and Earring Jewelry Set $62.50

Rainbow LGBT Lesbian Purple Triangle Prayer Beads $15.00