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Zuni Indian Jewelry Development Jewelers at the pueblo of Zuni in western New Mexico have been renowned for their stonework for over a thousand years. Early pieces included laid animal pendants and wooden combs inlaid with tiny pieces of turquoise and jet. Above: Zuni Indian Woman Making a Basket Below Right: Zuni Indian Woman Weaving a Blanket. Mosaic inlay features a wide array of stones and shells which are obtained from around the world. The jewelry artisan designs the overall piece then cuts individual stones to fit tightly into the form to make a mosaic. Zuni Mosaic Overlay Jewelry There is another type of mosaic work called overlay inlay which has two pieces of silver, one for a backing and the other with a pattern cut from the silver and soldered on top. Cut stones are then placed in the Zuni Indian Mosaic Jewelry Style patten to form a mosaic design. A Hopi craftsman would have left this silver backing empty. Zuni channel inlay work is very popular and is made by creating silver compartments within the backing. Cut stones, usually turquoise, are cut and fitted into the compartments creating geometric or figurative designs with a thin piece of silver separating the stones. Another type of Zuni work you are likely to see is carved stone jewelry, usually a necklace, which is a combination of small animals carved from stone or shell interspersed with some type of hand-made bead(s), commonly turquoise but with other stone accents. Zuni Indians to learn to work Silver from the Navajo about 1872, and soon became expert at making silver jewelry. But it was their stonework that made them stand out among the Southwest Jewelry Makers. They are thought to be the first to insert turquoise stone into silver settings. Below: Zuni Indian Silversmith Horace Iule, 1930. |
Modern jewelry making was learned from the
Navajo sometime in the early 1870s and puts a
great emphasis on stonework. Items such as
bracelets use many stones assembled to form an
intricate design that is beautiful to view and
wear. The Zuni utilized designs from basketry
and pottery.
One distinctive type Zuni work is cluster work
where there are many well-matched stones or
pieces of shell arranged into patterns called
"clusters." Needlepoint and petit point
techniques carry this even further. Petit point
has small stones rounded on one side and
teardrop shaped. Needlepoint stones have points
on both ends.
Navajo sometime in the early 1870s and puts a
great emphasis on stonework. Items such as
bracelets use many stones assembled to form an
intricate design that is beautiful to view and
wear. The Zuni utilized designs from basketry
and pottery.
One distinctive type Zuni work is cluster work
where there are many well-matched stones or
pieces of shell arranged into patterns called
"clusters." Needlepoint and petit point
techniques carry this even further. Petit point
has small stones rounded on one side and
teardrop shaped. Needlepoint stones have points
on both ends.
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