The Native American Indians have a very colorful history. Their Navajo jewelry adds grandeur to their stately headdress made with feathers and their attire of leather and skin. Today their jewelry which is their pride is popular among collectors. The Navajo were tribes that lived across Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
Excavations have revealed that even as early as 200 BC, these tribes were skilled in the art of making adornments and it was very important to them. They made these out of shell, bone or wood. Many of the original shell jewelry with carvings of frogs, snakes, birds and other symbolically significant animals have been unearthed.
Heishi was the name of their bead necklaces. These beads were skillfully carved and beautifully polished with natural material. The major raw materials used by them were wood, bone and shell and these are now sought after by collectors.
One of the most popular stones used by the Indians was the "Sky stone" or turquoise which they considered to be a little piece of the blue sky symbolizing good luck and said to bring happiness. Their adornments are primarily characterized by the use of silver and turquoise.
The Navajo were the first to learn the art of making silver into adornment and this tradition started in the year 1850 when a native by the name of Atsidi Sani (meaning 'old smith') became the first to imbibe this art from the Mexicans. The first to learn from him were his four sons who, later, taught the art to others. Sometimes even Mexican silver coins were melted to be turned into jewelry and many of these handcrafted pieces depicted animals on them.
Originally turquoise was the only stone used with silver but later other gems, like coral, onyx and carnelian, were used in necklaces and other pieces of jewelry by them. These Native American craft were not just neck ornaments but also bracelets, earrings, rings, buckles, armlets and headgear.
The influence of the Spaniards is seen in the crescent shaped pendants crafted by the Navajos that are highly popular. Another design peculiar to them, was the 'Squash Blossom' necklaces which were crafted with clusters of small stones making them look like flowers.
Commercialization of their art started only in the 1900s. The pride of the Native Indians, the exquisite Navajo jewelry making art has been passed on to their successive generations. It has never ceased to bring joy and admiration to connoisseurs of art.
Excavations have revealed that even as early as 200 BC, these tribes were skilled in the art of making adornments and it was very important to them. They made these out of shell, bone or wood. Many of the original shell jewelry with carvings of frogs, snakes, birds and other symbolically significant animals have been unearthed.
Heishi was the name of their bead necklaces. These beads were skillfully carved and beautifully polished with natural material. The major raw materials used by them were wood, bone and shell and these are now sought after by collectors.
One of the most popular stones used by the Indians was the "Sky stone" or turquoise which they considered to be a little piece of the blue sky symbolizing good luck and said to bring happiness. Their adornments are primarily characterized by the use of silver and turquoise.
The Navajo were the first to learn the art of making silver into adornment and this tradition started in the year 1850 when a native by the name of Atsidi Sani (meaning 'old smith') became the first to imbibe this art from the Mexicans. The first to learn from him were his four sons who, later, taught the art to others. Sometimes even Mexican silver coins were melted to be turned into jewelry and many of these handcrafted pieces depicted animals on them.
Originally turquoise was the only stone used with silver but later other gems, like coral, onyx and carnelian, were used in necklaces and other pieces of jewelry by them. These Native American craft were not just neck ornaments but also bracelets, earrings, rings, buckles, armlets and headgear.
The influence of the Spaniards is seen in the crescent shaped pendants crafted by the Navajos that are highly popular. Another design peculiar to them, was the 'Squash Blossom' necklaces which were crafted with clusters of small stones making them look like flowers.
Commercialization of their art started only in the 1900s. The pride of the Native Indians, the exquisite Navajo jewelry making art has been passed on to their successive generations. It has never ceased to bring joy and admiration to connoisseurs of art.
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