Navajo jewelry is one of the most popular kinds of Native American jewelry for sale because of the beautiful and interesting materials used, its long history, and intricate designs. Anyone interested in Navajo jewelry for sale will have a deeper level of appreciation after understanding the cultural significance behind it. Here’s what you need to know about Navajo jewelry before you buy.
What is Navajo Jewelry Made Out Of?
Both vintage and modern Navajo jewelry often contain turquoise and silver, though Navajo jewelry can also be made from copper, gold, shells, stones, antlers, and other materials. Some materials are native to the Southwest (turquoise, for example), while other materials have been obtained through trade. Navajo jewelry sometimes contains spiny oyster shell, a material that has long been obtained from coastal tribes over ancient trade routes. Another material traditionally found in Navajo jewelry is coral, often obtained from Mediterranean countries.
Navajo Turquoise Jewelry
Navajo jewelry was made from turquoise long before silver or gold was used. Turquoise was a material known to Southwestern tribes for hundreds of years, as it is found in mines throughout the area. Turquoise holds a sacred place of healing and protection in the Navajo culture. The creator god of the Navajo, an entity known as Changing Woman, was said to be made of turquoise.
There are three different types of Navajo turquoise jewelry:
- Natural – A whole specimen of turquoise, cut and polished but otherwise unaltered. The finest (and scarcest) quality of turquoise stone.
- Famous Native American jewelry maker Earl Plummer (Navajo) estimates only 3% of turquoise Native American jewelry is natural turquoise.
- Famous Native American jewelry maker Earl Plummer (Navajo) estimates only 3% of turquoise Native American jewelry is natural turquoise.
- Stabilized – Turquoise with a flimsy consistency that has been made “stable” with the aide of a clear epoxy resin. The stabilizing process involves extreme heat and pressure.
- Almost all Navajo necklaces and inlaid jewelry are made from stabilized turquoise simply because natural turquoise is too difficult to work with.
- Treated – Low-grade turquoise that has been stabilized using dyed epoxy resin (not clear epoxy resin like stabilized turquoise). Treated turquoise is often used in imitation Navajo jewelry.
Navajo Silver Jewelry
Traditional jewelry from the Southwest often combined turquoise with wood and/or shell. The Navajo Nation had no silversmithing knowledge until the 1850s when Astidi Saani learned of it at Fort Defiance, Arizona. Early Navajo silversmiths melted down coins (the Mexican peso being more popular than American coins because of higher silver content), candlesticks and tea pots to make jewelry with.
The earliest of Navajo silver jewelry was sometimes made by banging a hammer on a piece of railroad track in place of a proper anvil, but tools and techniques improved rapidly over time. By the 1880s, Navajo jewelry makers had learned how to place beautiful natural turquoise pieces into their silver jewelry. In the 1900s, they could combine with other precious stones and coral.
Navajo Jewelry Design Techniques
Traditional Navajo jewelry design techniques include:
- Overlay – Popularized by the Hopis and perfected by the Navajos, overlay is a design cut out and soldered over a second piece of silver or gold. Navajo overlay jewelry always has a smooth underside.
- Stamping – Intricate designs struck into metal using a stamp. Stamps were originally made of iron or steel and passed down generationally.
- Tufa casting – A complex molding process that involves carbonizing volcanic ash material found on the Navajo Reservation called Tufa stone. A carved design is filled with typically silver or gold and then fused together with heated clamps.
Modern Navajo Jewelry Makers
Modern Navajo jewelry blends traditional tribal and some Spanish influences (for example the Naja) with the artist’s own contemporary flair. The following Navajo jewelry makers represented by Home & Away Gallery best represent modern Navajo jewelry:
How to Identify Real Navajo Jewelry
The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 has placed strict limitations on what can and cannot constitute authentic Navajo jewelry. A product can only be labeled “Navajo jewelry” if it was made by a member of the tribe or a certified artisan. Beware of phrases like “Indian-styled” or “Indian-inspired” jewelry.
Navajo jewelry that is sold below market value should also raise alarms. Do not be afraid to ask a dealer where they get their Navajo jewelry and how they know it is real. Try to establish a connection with a dealer who is well-known and has been in business for a long time.
Find Navajo Jewelry at Home and Away Gallery
Home and Away Gallery has been a leader in Navajo jewelry since 2000. We buy the vast majority of our jewelry directly from Native American artists to ensure they can adequately support themselves and their families. Call (207) 423-8473 to talk about Navajo jewelry for sale.