Native Indian Jewelry Making - Navajo Silver Jewelry

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