History of Navajo Turquoise Jewelry
Turquoise, the stone that represents happiness, health, and luck to the Navajo tribe, is a common component of Native American jewelry. Turquoise makes numerous appearances in Navajo creation stories, and it is the ultimate indicator of a Navajo person’s wealth.
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History
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In pre-Columbian times, the Navajo were skilled at beadwork and molded turquoise into beads to make heishi necklaces (smooth necklaces with stitched beads). In the late nineteenth century, the Navajo learned silversmithing from the Spanish and began combining silver with turquoise. Before tourists took an interest in Navajo adornments, turquoise jewelry was only used for ceremonies and religious rituals.
Symbolism
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The colors within the turquoise stone, black, white, blue and green, represent the colors of the natural world. In traditional Navajo jewelry a symbol called the “naja,” or horseshoe-shaped symbol, appeared often. The Naja, which signifies good fortune, was derived from Mexican culture.
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Types
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While traditional Navajo jewelry mostly consisted of intricate beadwork and porcupine quillwork, other types of jewelry became more popular as tourist purchases increased. Two of the most famous styles are Squash blossom necklaces (silver and turquoise necklaces with the naja symbol as a pendant) and turquoise inlay rings. Turquoise is used to produce necklaces, bracelets, brooches, rings, and earrings.
Tools
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Before the Navajo acquired tools from traders and other cultures, they used crude tools for manufacturing jewelry, often improvising to create hammers and anvils out of scrap railroad metal. In the late nineteenth century, the Fred Harvey Company provided Navajo with polished turquoise and better tools so that they could quickly manufacture cheap jewelry to sell to tourists.
Effects
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Tourist tastes in jewelry have caused the Navajo to produce styles unlike their traditional turquoise jewelry. Modern Navajo turquoise jewelry usually contains more turquoise beads than silver and often includes symbols that have little or nothing to do with Navajo culture. Genuine Navajo dealers, however, can still be found.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit turquoise image by Maxim Petrichuk from Fotolia.com
