Historical accounts tell us that Indians have been crafting and trading jewelry in the Western Hemisphere for centuries. Those indigenous to the American Southwest gained an especially lofty reputation for designing jewelry, but what made them stand a cut above the rest? For one thing, the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and other local tribes were not nomads; they lived in fully functional villages and had domesticated animals and abundant water sources. These conveniences allowed them time to perfect their jewelry-making techniques.
Raw materials were also prevalent in the Southwest, including the turquoise that would be gathered and fashioned into cosmetic adornments. American Indian turquoise jewelry is still widely touted today as being the pinnacle of that art form. Each individual piece carries with it the proud tradition of the craftsmen who came before.
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Historical accounts tell us that Indians have been crafting and trading jewelry in the Western Hemisphere for centuries. Those indigenous to the American Southwest gained an especially lofty reputation for designing jewelry, but what made them stand a cut above the rest? For one thing, the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and other local tribes were not nomads; they lived in fully functional villages and had domesticated animals and abundant water sources. These conveniences allowed them time to perfect their jewelry-making techniques.