Native American & Indian Jewelry

There are many different kinds of Native American & Indian jewelry styles - as many as there are different Indian cultures.

These include:

- Navajo, Pala Mission, Hopi/Laguna, Cherokee, Quinault, Zuni, Muscogee-Seminole, Cheyenne, Ojibwe, Chipewyan, South Dakota, Santo Domingo Acoma, Jemez, Micmac, Abenaki, Cowichan, Narragansett

     Each of these different tribes uses symbols and materials in their art to create different designs, that are unique and beautiful.

Material:
     A great deal of Indian jewelry is made from natural materials found in the wilderness and from animals.

Some materials that Indian Jewelry is created in include:
- Silver, Bone, Antler and Ivory, Gold, Turquoise, Beads, Semi-precious Stones and Gems, Stone, Shell, Leather, Feathers

Styles:

- Dream-catchers, Bolo's, Squash, Rings, Pins, Earrings, Bracelets, Crosses Medicine Wheels, Chokers, Regalia - Indian regalia includes all of the traditional clothing and jewelry worn by Indians in ceremonial settings. These include things such as head-dresses, breastplates, moccasins, beaded belts and hatbands, and hair ornaments.

Spiritual Meanings of the Designs:
     Indian designs hold deeper meanings other than their obvious aesthetic appeal. In all cultures, symbols are developed from experience, vision and religion and become individualized through the creative process of the artist or symbol maker. The designs used by Indigenous people have come from varied sources and have been adapted and used by different tribes. The designs can be decorative, symbolic, or combinations of both. As well, the designs may have different symbols in different tribes. Symbols and designs used in these cultures come from various places. Some come from nature and others from craft.

     Some good sites that summarise the various meanings of the symbols used in Indian art include:
http://www.indiansun.net
http://www.collectorsguide.com/fa/fa040.shtml

Other Cultural Jewlery Links:
Italian jewelry
Hawaiian jewelry
Celtic jewelry