Three Types Of Native American Jewelry That Are Most Popular

Native American Jewelry has always been popular, and with the rise of the internet, it is now seeing a demand worldwide. However, there is a strict guideline regarding what constitutes native American Jewelry. So, before you start looking for authentic native American Jewelry near me, here are three types of native American Jewelry you should know about.

Navajo Jewelry

When it comes to native American Jewelry, Navajo Jewelry is the most famous. Their Jewelry focuses on silver works with natural stones and cabochons. The cabochons are made of semi-precious gemstones like turquoise, coral, and other. The beauty of the Jewelry lies in their exquisite silver work. In fact, silver works were not a traditional native American jewelry style but became popular in the reservation era. It started with the artist Atsidi Sani from the Navajo Indian tribe, who saw the business potential of such Jewelry with tourists visiting the reservations. From the Navajo tribe, this jewelry work then spread to other Indian tribes like the Zuni.

Hopi Jewelry

Though they learned silversmithing from other tribes, Hopi people soon became experts in making silver Jewelry. The beauty of their Jewelry lay in using the “overlay” process, which involves laying one sheet of silver with a “cut-out” design over a plain sheet of similar shape and design. They mostly used sterling silver, and their finished products often had raised silver patterns with unpolished recessed areas.

Zuni Jewelry

Zuni Jewelry is also great at working with silver, but the more famous Jewelry is the “fetish” jewelry. These are carvings of birds and animals and are often tabletop-sized sculptures. Some are strings of small animal carvings called “fetish necklaces.” Zuni Jewelry is also famous for its stone, and shell inlay works. Set in silver, shells and slices of stones are crafted together to create masterpieces in specific patterns. Needlepoint and petit point gem work is another hallmark of Zuni jewelry. In these types of Jewelry, beautifully cut stones are designed in traditional patterns over silver.

So, these are the three types of native American Jewelry that are always popular. To make sure you are buying an authentic one, ask about the piece’s origin. A good seller can tell you the tribe or the artist it is from.

Now that you know how to spot one, it is time to search for authentic native American Jewelry near me and find an excellent piece for your collection.