We all know that beautifying oneself and the use of jewelry has been around since the prehistoric times. Bead making and bead necklaces called heishe, which have been derived from the Santo Domingo word for shell, have been used for ages. Shells like the spiny oyster shell, mother of pearl, abalone, conch and clam have been used in bead making and have been considered important trade items of the southwest for more than thousand years.
The use of silver in Native American jewelry is not an old concept. It has been used since the early 1850s, when the Mexican silversmiths had to trade their silver trinkets for the cattle from the Navajo. The Navajo blacksmiths then in turn exchanged their skill of silver making with the Zuni Indians for livestock. The Hopi tribe then picked up the art of silver making from the Zuni in the 1890s. It is important to note that the Native Americans in no way were linked with mining of the silver.
The styles of jewelry used by the Native American Indians:
Each Native American Indian tribe has its own distinct style. Do not be confused by jewelry that is claimed to be Native American Indian but does not have the Navajo, Zuni, Hopi or Santo Domingo styles. The Zuni Indian jewelry includes styles and techniques such as mosaic, channel inlay, cluster, needlepoint and petit point. These techniques involve the use of a variety of stones and shells.
The Navajo Indian jewelers are well known for their popular squash blossom necklaces. These jewelry artists are known to use pieces of turquoise, coral and other semi-precious stones and then these are surrounded by scrolls, beads and leaf patterns set in sterling silver. Did you know that most of the Native American jewelry produced is made by the Navajos? Their jewelry is the most popular because of the use of sterling silver and stones like coral and turquoise.
The overlay technique is the distinct style of the Hopi Indian Silversmiths. This is the technique that is used involving the setting stones in jewelry making. One sheet of silver has the design etched out and then it is soldered or overlaid onto the second sheet. The background is given a darker touch via oxidizing and the top layer is polished.
Bead jewelry is popular among the Santo Domingo Indians and they have been making this kind of jewelry for centuries. They use seashells, turquoise, jet and coral stones in their jewelry. As mentioned before, the jewelry is all made with sterling silver, which is normally a mix of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. And the reason copper is added to the mix is because silver is very soft and the copper gives it more strength to develop different shapes and textures.
Southwest America is a great place to find great Native American Indian jewelry. The Navajo tribe is in Arizona and New Mexico and can be easily called the largest Native American Indian reservation. The Hopi tribe is also in Arizona, whereas the Santo Domingo and Zuni Pueblo are in New Mexico.
The skills and art of Native American Indian jewelry making is passed down generations and is quite coveted. Now there are schools that teach these skills to people who want to learn. Native American Indian Jewelry is a great way to make a bold style statement.
 Navajo Native American Silver Gold Feather Earrings  US $52.00
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 Navajo Native American Jewelry Concho Style Earrings US $76.00
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 Navajo Native American Jewelery Lap Opal Earrings US $76.00
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 Navajo Native American Jewelry Earring and Ear Cuff US $20.00
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 Navajo Native American Bear Earrings by Singer US $65.00
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 Navajo Native Amerian Buffalo Earrings by Singer US $65.00
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 Navajo Native American Turquoise and Shell Earrings US $30.00
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 Navajo Native American Jewelry Chrysocolla Earrings US $98.00
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 Navajo Native American Tiger Eye Turquoise Earrings US $41.00
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 Navajo Native American Jewelry Silver Gold Earrings US $54.00
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 Navajo Native American Jewelry Quartz Earrings US $50.00
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 Navajo Native American Orange Spiny Oyster Earrings US $76.00
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 Navajo Native American Baltic Amber Earrings US $112.00
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 Navajo Native American Sterling Silver Earrings US $20.00
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 Navajo Native American Turquoise and Silver Earrings US $25.00
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 Navajo Native American Jewelry Gaspeite Earrings US $65.00
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 Navajo Native American Jewelry Garnet Earrings US $50.00
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 Navajo Native American Baltic Amber Honey Bee Earrings US $49.00
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 Native American Zuni Turquoise Post Hoop Earrings US $22.99
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 Native American Santo Domingo Pottery Earrings US $39.00
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 Navajo Native American Woman Dangle Bead Earrings US $39.00
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 Navajo Native American Turquoise Post Dangle Earrings US $70.00
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 Navajo Turquoise and Sterling Bead Dangle Earrings US $39.00
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 Navajo Native American Sterling Silver Buffalo Earrings US $33.00
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 Santo Domingo Native American Inlay Earrings US $76.00
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 Navajo Native American Kokopelli Turquoise Earrings US $39.00
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 Santo Domingo Shell and Turquoise Earrings US $65.00
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 Zuni Native American Turquoise Sunface Clip Earrings US $94.00
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 Turquoise Bear Paw Post Earrings Navajo Handmade US $45.00
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 Santo Domingo Orange Spiny Oyster Shell Earrings US $41.00
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 Navajo Native American Bear with Turquoise Earrings US $71.00
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 Hopi Native American Silver Hoop Earrings US $129.00
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 Navajo Native American Boot Earrings with Turquoise US $27.00
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 NATIVE AMERICAN HANDMADE BEADED EARRINGS US $4.99
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 Navajo Native American Sterling Silver Large Earrings US $41.00
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 Santo Domingo Native American Dangle Earrings US $76.00
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 Native American Navajo Jewelry Turquoise Hook Earrings US $56.99
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 STERLING SILVER DIAMOND SHAPED TURQUOISE EARRINGS US $54.16
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 Santo Domingo Native American Silver Earrings by Cate US $62.00
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 Navajo Native American Stamped Sterling Silver Earrings US $28.00
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 Turquoise band Ring Size 8 US $.99
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 NATIVE AMERICAN SANTO DOMINGO TURQUOISE SHELL EARRINGS US $23.50
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 Turquoise Ring Size 8 US $.99
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 Native American Jewelry Apache Ryolite Earrings US $80.00
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 Turquoise Lapis Ring Size 8 US $10.50
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 Navajo Silver Santa Fe Botonee Cross Heart Earrings 179 US $54.99
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 Vintage petite Green Turquoise band Ring Size 8 US $.99
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 medicine wheel beaded earrings US $.99
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 Zuni Native American Inlay Pink Shell Earrings US $28.00
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 Turquoise Coral Malachite and Opal stud Earrings US $5.50
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 Turquoise Earrings Sterling Silver New Wholesale US $5.00
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 ZUNI STER Silver TURQUOISE NEEDLEPOINT EARRINGS 181 US $124.99
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 Navajo Native American Bear Paw Turquoise Earrings US $53.00
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 Zuni Native American Inlay Turquoise Earrings US $28.00
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 Zuni Native American Turquoise Dangle Earrings US $38.00
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 Hopi Native American Bear with Heartline Earrings US $76.00
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 Turquoise stud earrings US $.99
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 END OF THE TRAIL HAND PAINTED SAND EARRINGS UNIQUE US $2.25
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 Native American Navajo Kingman Turquoise Hook Earrings US $59.99
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 Navajo Indian Jewelry Silver Turquoise Hook Earrings US $54.95
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 Santo Domingo Native American Earrings by Coriz US $76.00
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 VINTAGE STERLING SILVER BLACK ONYX EARRINGS SIGNED US $19.95
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 Navajo Morenci Turquoise Sterling Dangle Earrings RB US $45.00
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 EARRINGS SIGNED RLS ALCOMA SOUTHWEST INDIAN POTTERY US $74.99
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 NAVAJO TURQUOISE Silver CROSS PATH DANGLE EARRINGS 149 US $44.99
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 Native American Jewelry Spiny Oyster Dangle Earrings US $87.75
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 Hopi Native American mule deer Silver Earrings US $105.00
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 Native American Navajo Sterling Silver Hook Earrings US $29.99
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 Navajo 925 ST Silver 4 CORNER EMERSON BILL Earrings 156 US $54.99
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 EARRINGS TRIBAL AMETHYST QUILL 325 LONG BEADS MUST SE US $74.99
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 Native American Amethyst Sterling Silver Earrings US $4.99
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 Zuni Native American Inlay Eagle Post Earrings US $55.00
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 EARRINGS Native American Beaded US $8.50
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 Zuni Native American Inlay Sunface Post Earrings US $57.00
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 Native Navajo Turquoise Silver Clip On Earrings Jewelry US $54.96
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 American Indian Navajo Jewelry Turquoise Post Earrings US $44.95
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 Native American Jewelry DINOSAUR BONE Earrings US $119.55
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 Handmade Beautiful Dream Catcher Earrings US $3.00
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 Native American Jewelry Apache Dendrite Earrings US $107.60
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Large Native American Indian 5 in 1 Dream Catcher ~ Dreamcatcher Sale Price: $32.99 Average Rating:   |
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The legend of the Native American dreamcatcher varies somewhat from tribe to tribe, but the basic theme or intention was to allow good dreams to slip through the web and into the sleeper during the night while the bad dreams were caught in the web and would be perished at morning ligh |
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Close Up of Navajo Woman's Ear and Turquoise Earring Made by Native Americans Photographic Poster Print |
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Close Up of Navajo Woman's Ear and Turquoise Earring Made by Native Americans is digitally printed on archival photographic paper resulting in vivid, pure color and exceptional detail that is suitable for any museum or gallery display... |
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Close Up of Navajo Woman's Ear and Turquoise Earring Made by Native Americans Artists Photographic Poster Print by Michael Mauney, 24x32 List Price: $99.99 Sale Price: $99.99 |
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Close Up of Navajo Woman's Ear and Turquoise Earring Made by Native Americans is digitally printed on archival photographic paper resulting in vivid, pure color and exceptional detail that is suitable for any museum or gallery display... |
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Native American Earrings |
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Catch sweet dreams with these for accent. Native American Earrings features a dream catcher style with feather accents and turquoise bead detailing. |
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Hand Crafted Native American Bear Claw Sterling Silver Earrings |
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Stuuning earrings are made in NM by Navajo Silversmiths and consists of Sterling silver Bear Claw with two feathers. Legend says that by wearing bear claw brings you good luck and prosperity. Turquoise stones are believed to keep you in good health. |
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Native American Sterling Silver Earrings Handmade |
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Authentic hand made earrings with genuine blue turquoise or lapis or Corals or Malachite beads with sterling silver feathers Handmade by Navajo silversmith . These are just stunning earrings with dangle french hooks and measures approximately 1 1/4" long and has two feathers in each earring with sterling concho top... |
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Sterling Silver Handmade Turquoise Ring Crafted By Native American ~Navajo |
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Two Teardrop/raindrop Turquoise stones are set in off sides and measures 6*9mm On the back of the ring is hallmarked with initial "F" to represent Navajo Nation highly skilled artisan from New Mexico Frank Arviso |
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Special Edition Barbie 1993 Dolls of the World 12 Inch Doll Collection - Second Edition Native American Barbie Doll with Native American Dress, Boots, Ring, Earrings, Brush and Doll Stand Sale Price: $14.98 Average Rating: |
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Special Edition Barbie 1993 Dolls of the World 12 Inch Doll Collection - Second Edition Native American Barbie Doll with Native American Dress, Boots, Ring, Earrings, Brush and Doll Stand |
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Special Edition Barbie 1994 Dolls of the World 12 Inch Doll Collection - Third Edition Native American Barbie Doll with Tunic, Skirt, Headband with Feather, Earrings, Moccasins, Necklace, Ring, Hairbrush and Doll Stand Sale Price: $22.89 |
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Special Edition Barbie 1994 Dolls of the World 12 Inch Doll Collection - Third Edition Native American Barbie Doll with Tunic, Skirt, Headband with Feather, Earrings, Moccasins, Necklace, Ring, Hairbrush and Doll Stand |
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Navajo and Pueblo Earrings 1850-1945 List Price: $39.95 Sale Price: $39.95 Used From: $69.72 Average Rating: |
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Navajo and Pueblo Earrings is the first book to explain and illustrate the different types of Native American earrings and the types of materials used. The accumulation of this collection allowed the author to gather new information made possible by having a variety of examples to study... |
