Native American Jewelry styles were different in every Indian tribe, but the variations were less noticeable than with other arts and crafts. Jewelry and the supplies used for making it (beads, shells, copper and silver, ivory, amber, turquoise and other stones) were major trade items long before the Europeans come to America. After colonization, Native American jewelry making traditions remained strong adding in new materials and techniques like glass beads and more sophisticated metalworking skills.
There are two very broad classes of Native American jewelry: metalwork, and beadwork. Before the Europeans came native metalwork was quite straightforward, consisting principally of hammering and etching copper into pendants or earrings and shaping copper and silver into beads. After Navajo, Hopi and Pueblo artists adopted silversmithing from Spaniards in the 1800's, metal jewelry arts flourished in the Southwest. Distinctive Native American jewelry like the squash blossom necklace, Hopi Sterling Silver Pendants, Sterling Silver Earrings, Navajo Turquoise Pendants and Turquoise Necklace developed from the synthesis of the fresh techniques with long-established designs.
Alternatively, Native beadwork was already highly developed since the pre-Columbian period. These skills included the fine grinding of turquoise, coral, and shell beads into smooth heishi necklaces, the delicate carving of individual wood and bone beads, the soaking and piecing of porcupine quills, and the intricate stitching of thousands of beads together.
If you are looking to buy unique Native American jewelry, then browsing this website is a great start! We only feature authentic handcrafted Native American Jewelry and gifts from the American Southwest. Most purchases will be shipped with a Certificate of Authenticity of the Artist who made that particular piece. We hope you enjoy your visit to FirstClans.com
