American Indian Jewelry

The history of American Indian jewelry dates back thousands of years, but throughout its longevity its designs share a richness of materials and a shared thread of narrative. American Indian jewelry tells a fascinating story of its creator, its tribe, and its era, all wrapped into one spectacular piece.

While the earliest examples of American Indian jewels can be traced to the tribes of the Pacific Northwest, it was around 8,000 B.C. that a profusion of jewelry designs emerged in the American southwest. Originally created with shell beads, jewelry soon adopted new precious metals and materials. The introduction of copper and silver, combined with beads and pendants crafted from coral and turquoise, allowed American Indian artists to both diversify their designs and create striking jewelry pieces.

Different tribes came to specialize in various media as well. The southwestern Navajo Indians, for instance, mastered silversmithing and the use of turquoise in their designs, while the Eastern Woodlands Indians excelled in the creation of beautiful and highly polished beads made from clam and sea snail shells.

Quick Facts

• The oldest documented American Indian jewelry dates to approximately 10,000 B.C. The find consists of four bone earrings that were located near Fairbanks, Alaska
• The first examples of copper jewelry date to around 3000 B.C. and can be traced to the Great Lakes region, an area that is rich with copper deposits
• Though used in American Indian jewelry for millennia, turquoise inset into or mounted on silver is a relatively modern adaptation of American Indian traditions. It was not until the 1870s that such a combination was conjured by American Indian jewelry designers