Native American Jewellery Is Americas Natural Adornments
The earliest Indians owned their
own jewellery before others came to America. They use the elements around them
such as feathers, stones, shells, and bones to make ornaments to wear.
In 1500, French explorers were
among the first to exchange Indian glass beads for other useful items they
never had for their skins. Indians seem to be fond of using coloured beads to
make jewellery and adorn their clothes.
It wasn't until the 1850s that
Indians began to acquire the skills necessary to make Navajo Pearl necklace from
precious metals and stones. In the past, they often used copper and brass wire
for costume jewelery and coins as buttons.
This is where most Native
American jewellery can trace their jewellery techniques. In the 1960s, the
Navajo people were interned at Bosque Redondo for four years, but when they
returned to the chaos, they began to use the new technique that Saani had
learned about making silver jewelry. Their equipment was originally raw and
they used silver coins to melt jewelry.
The Mexican peso has a higher
silver content, so it is the preferred coin. In the late 1890s, Navajo silver
and turquoise jewelry was used to trade with vendors who came to the
reservation. This practice ceased after 1950 but continued outside the reserve.
Older Native American jewelery
looked rustic as collectors do today. With the advent of new and better tools,
the quality and design of Indian jewelery gradually improved and became the
beautiful handcrafted jewelery that it is today.
Much of this jewelery is widely
available in the Southwest, as well as in jewelery stores around the country
and on the internet. Rings, cufflinks, pendants, bolo ties, and earrings are
all usually made of turquoise and silver.
Other items such as coral,
jasper, mother of pearl, jets, and several others are used in Native American
jewelry today. These unique and original pieces of jewelry are usually priced
very reasonably for the exquisite workmanship used to create them. This piece
of jewelry is worn by many different people today.
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