Description Traditional handmade Native American Indian Jewelry from Indigenous Pueblos of the Southwest. Guaranteed authentic. Excellent antique condition. Experience the breathtaking craftsmanship of the Rio Grande with this rare antique Santo Domingo (Kewa) 10-strand heishi necklace. A true collector’s piece, this necklace features thousands of tiny, hand-rolled beads meticulously shaped from natural white shell, accented by vibrant pops of Mediterranean coral and sky-blue turquoise. The sheer volume of the ten graduating strands creates a lush, cascading effect that feels remarkably soft and fluid against the skin. This museum-quality piece is finished with a traditional hand-wrapped “squaw wrap” cotton cord at the neckline, a hallmark of early 20th-century Pueblo construction that ensures both comfort and historical integrity. The Kewa people are the undisputed masters of heishi—the oldest form of jewelry in the Southwest—which involves grinding individual bits of shell and stone into tiny, uniform discs. In the early 1900s, a 10-strand necklace like this was a significant display of status and prosperity, representing hundreds of hours of labor-intensive hand-shaping. The combination of shell, turquoise, and coral carries deep elemental symbolism, honoring the sacred connection between the earth, the sky, and the precious coastal waters reached via ancient trade routes. Owning an antique piece of this magnitude offers a rare opportunity to preserve a masterful slice of Indigenous history.
