When one speaks of Native American jewelry, the images that come to most people are of jewelry from the Southwest. The turquoise, coral and silver jewelry of this area, and imports emulating this jewelry, are far more common than the forms of Native American jewelry worn in other areas of North America. Even the famous “wampum” of the Eastern Woodlands tribes, made until the Twentieth Century, is overshadowed by the rings, bracelets, and necklaces made by the Southwest Indian tribes. Perhaps this is because of the adaptation of the Southwest tribes to new, modern materials, or the lack of any other good way to make a living in the harsh landscape of the region.
Handcrafted Native America jewelry can be natural items, drilled and strung, or complex inlaid or silver and turquoise pieces. Heishe or rolled beads of turquoise and other soft stones are used to fill in a necklace with carved fetishes or nuggets of turquoise. Turquoise, coral, mother of pearl and other materials are used to make inlaid figures of kachinas and spirit animals like thunderbirds and bears. Hollow silver beads and blossom shaped beads are the hallmark of a squash blossom necklace, as well as the horseshoe shaped naja at the center. Turquoise may be worked into the blossoms or onto the naja, and occasionally turquoise beads are included in the silver beads used to complete the necklace.
Historically, different tribes have pursued different styles of jewelry. The Navajo are well known for their squash blossom necklaces, as well as rings and bracelets with large cabochons of turquoise and pieces of coral. The Zuni are better known for the inlaid pieces they create, as well as rings, bracelets and earrings with many small pieces of turquoise of the same size made into an overall design. The Hopi work more in silver and have developed the silver overlay method where the design is shiny silver against a darker background. The other tribes are less identifiable by their jewelry techniques, and the identification of the tribe of the maker is beginning to become problematic, as the artists see each others work and the styles begin to cross over tribal lines in this century.
Antique Native American jewelry from the Southwest can be identified by the use of coin silver in its creation. Until 1931, the Native Americans of the Southwest used US and then Mexican coins for the silver content of their jewelry. The general appearance of the silver is different from the jeweler’s sterling silver used today, and sometimes the imprint of the original coin can be detected in the jewelry as well.
There are a number of good books about Native American Jewelry history, which include many pictures and general idea of the current (at publishing) values of the jewelry. Look for books about or including chapters on Native American jewelry published by Krause Publicaions or Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.
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