Native American Silver Jewelry

Early Native American tribal peoples in the United States did not use silver until the entry of the Spanish and Mexicans into the southwest. They did use turquoise and other natural items but mostly as beads and pendants in necklaces and earrings. Some historians believe The first recorded use of silver by Native Americans was by the people we call the Navajo. They refer to themselves as "Dineh" meaning "the people" in the Dineh language. The Navajo or Dineh were fascinated by the silver metal and called it "Metal of the Moon". They began working in silver in the mid to late 1800's and became very skilled at making silver items with crude equipment and improvised tools. These items were made for their own use such as buttons, belts and adornments for bridles and saddles. This early pre-1900 silver work is very rare and considered priceless. There is a huge collection of pre-1900 Native made silver jewelry at the Heard Museum in Phoenix Arizona.

The Navajo did not make jewelry for public consumption until around 1900. The first use of turquoise stone set in a silver setting is said to be by an early Navajo silversmith and is completely Native influenced. The silver jewelry they had already begun making was heavily influenced by Spanish and Mexican silver work. The popular squash blossom necklace with the large horse shoe shaped pendant is actually based on the moorish half moon design used by the Spanish. The flower shaped beads are also in the shape of the pomegranite flower which is a design used by the Spanish as an adornment on their clothing. The Navajo are also noted for the beautiful and ornate squash style on bracelets and pendants which consists of lovely silver leaves and squash flowers. This is sometimes referred to as Platero style. Platero, the Spanish word for silver worker, is another nod to Spanish/Mexican influence. Another style used and perfected by the Navajo is sandcasting silver forms using carved sandstone or tufa molds. Tufa is a form of lava rock that is abundant near where the Navajos live.

The Zuni people were introduced to silver work by a Pueblo silver smith. There is some argument over who first started using silver, Navajo or Pueblo but there is no real concensus. Zuni style jewelry is completely unique and there are several interesting styles they have created. They are the first to perfect stone inlay where the stones are cut to fit snuggly together in the silver setting to create a design. Later in the 1940's timeframe they perfected this technique with the more advanced channel inlay in which a silver mosaic is created and the stones cut to fit into the "channels" of the mosaic. They are also famous for their petit point style in which tiny stones are carefully cut and set in patterns, usually round or oblong.

The people of Hopi began using silver in the early 1900's having been introduced to the metal by the Zuni. The Hopi also have a unique style they have evolved over time to make it their own. It is the silver overlay technique. Usually overlay style jewelry will have a blackened silver background over which is soldered a sheet of silver with cutout designs. There are many variations of thickness and texture making this a very rich and interesting type of jewlery. The Hopi style really came into it's own in the late 1940's and has been gaining popularity since then.

Native American peoples have taken a craft that was introduced to them barely 100 years ago and turned it into a fine art and lucrative investment for themselves and the world. These days not just Native American jewelry but the works of individual native artists themselves are highly sought after and collected. Shouldn't you start your collection today?

Some of Our Reviews:
"Awesome. loads of native american history and knowledge. Navigate very easily. I love it and will vist often."
Royston
thriftyharry.com

"Nice website with very organized layout! Clear and concise. It surely helps promote your products! I also want to start squidoo. Wish you best!"
Otto
cafepress.com/tees_infinite

"Absolutely excellent - a very well done lens - you do lovely work!"
Holly
pursedivacouture.msmalls.com



To get your own reviews and loads of free traffic go to: