Navajo Jewelry

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NAVAJO JEWELRY

Silver jewelry has always played an important role in Navajo ceremonial life. To the Southwest Indians silver and turquoise were the finest form of personal adornment. Jewelry was valued both for its spiritual symbolism, for its beauty, for imparting beauty to the wearer and as a sign of wealth. In the past, as well as today, jewelry was an asset that had a known value and could be held by a trader to gain credit for dry goods, exchanged for religious and medical services or traded for livestock. As trading posts came into being after the United States government established reservations, many Navajos would "pawn" their jewelry when they needed to buy goods. Very little cash was available and silversmiths and weavers were paid for the most part in store goods. When the Navajo earned enough money to redeem their jewelry, the trading post would return the piece(s) to them. Jewelry that was never redeemed was sold as authentic Navajo jewelry and was referred to as "pawn."

Styles/ Symbols and Meaning: Because the Navajo borrowed ideas from the Spanish, Mexicans and the Plains Indians they were able to adopt aspects of these other cultures and make these borrowed traits their own. The were able to bring the disparate elements together into a harmonious whole and fairly consistent styles began to emerge.

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SQUASH BLOSSOM NECKLACE
Navajo
Turquoise and Silver
Millicent Rogers Museum of Northern New Mexico

KETOH
Navajo
Silver and Leather
Millicent Rogers Museum of Northern New Mexico

BRACELETS
Navajo
Silver and Turquoise
Millicent Rogers Museum of Northern New Mexico

CONCHAS
Navajo
Silver, Turquoise and Leather
Millicent Rogers Museum of Northern New Mexico

Millicent Rogers
Museum • Post Office Box A • Taos NM 87571
505 758 2462 • fax 505 758 5751 • mrm@millicentrogers.org