| Native Indian jewelry, especially of the | | | | that helped spread the craft of |
| Navajo and Zuni variety,is generating | | | | silversmithing. Being of a nomadic nature, |
| increasing interest for its beautiful and | | | | the Navajo came frequently into contact with |
| stunning design and workmanship. It is based | | | | the Spanish in the south-west from about the |
| on a tradition that is not that long, going | | | | late 16th century. There were clashes and |
| back to about the middle of the 19th century. | | | | sometimes friendly association. The Spanish |
| The emphasis here is on the silverwork that | | | | personal ornaments and adornments fascinated |
| is employed in the making of the jewelry. | | | | the Indians. And they began to copy or |
| There is a fascinating history which is worth | | | | assimilate the Spanish style and began to |
| looking into. It is an American legacy of the | | | | wear ornaments made from so-called German |
| native Indians, from the time of the Spanish | | | | silver. But silversmithing, using real |
| Conquest. So in that sense it is a tradition | | | | silver, was not yet within their grasp. |
| that goes back to the founding times of | | | | |
| America. | | | | Though the history is not completely certain, |
| | | | it is generally thought that the first Navajo |
| Native American Indian jewelry was, and is, | | | | silversmith was Atsidi Sani (also known as |
| generally classified into two main types - | | | | "Old Smith"), and the making of silver |
| beadwork and metalwork. Beadwork has a longer | | | | jewelry started in th 1860s. Atsidi Sani was |
| history stretching back to pre-Colombian | | | | among some 8000 of the Navajo tribe who were |
| times. It concentrated on the use of natural | | | | captured and imprisoned at Fort Sumner in New |
| materials, and semi-precious gemstones, such | | | | Mexico in 1864 to 1868. It seems that by the |
| as shells and turquoise, animal bones and | | | | end of the captivity, Atsidi Sani learned the |
| ivory. | | | | art of silversmithing. The art was |
| | | | transmitted to his sons, and spread to the |
| In this article, I am concentrating on | | | | Zuni in around 1872. Atsidi Chon (known also, |
| metalwork jewelry making. Because the skills | | | | perhaps descriptively, as "Ugly Smith") |
| and techniques of fashioning metal were not | | | | taught his Zuni friend Lanyade the skill of |
| advanced until after the arrival of the | | | | making silver. The Navajo style was passed on |
| Europeans on the American continent, the | | | | to the Hopi, when they in turn learned making |
| metalwork jewelry was, prior to that period, | | | | silver jewelry from the Zuni. |
| of relatively simple order. Iron and copper | | | | |
| were used, so was brass and later silver. The | | | | In the early days, the source of silver was |
| technique was by manual hammering and | | | | Mexican and U.S. coins. The U.S. coins, being |
| etching. The fashioning of silver by | | | | readily available and of good quality, were |
| silversmiths came after silversmithing was | | | | often used. In 1890 a law was passed |
| introduced by the Spaniards. | | | | prohibiting the melting of U.S. coins, but |
| | | | that was more often honored in the breach |
| The influence was on the south-west of the | | | | than observance. |
| American continent. In fact, it was the | | | | |
| Mexicans first who learned the skill of | | | | The emblematic piece of Navajo or |
| silversmithing from the Spanish invaders. | | | | Navajo-style jewelry is the squash blossom |
| After the native Indians learned it from the | | | | necklace. This was actually adopting the |
| Mexicans, their skill gradually grew and has | | | | Spanish crescent-shaped "naja" as the |
| developed into the intricate use of silver | | | | centerpiece of the necklace. The crescent was |
| with gemstones like turquoise, with | | | | itself a legacy of Moorish influence upon the |
| distinctive designs that are stunningly | | | | Spanish. Muslim Spain had a history of almost |
| eye-catching. | | | | 800 years from 711-1492, with a flourishing |
| | | | culture. |
| The Navajo are credited with being the tribe | | | | |