Santo Domingo (Kewa) Turquoise and Orange Spiny Oyster Necklace

Description Traditional handmade Native American Indian Jewelry from Indigenous Pueblos of the Southwest. Guaranteed authentic. Excellent condition. Capturing the radiant spirit of the High Desert, this handcrafted single-strand necklace is a vibrant example of Santo Domingo (Kewa) lapidary skill. The design features a rhythmic alternation of hand-polished turquoise beads and fiery orange spiny oyster shell. Each stone and shell has been meticulously ground into a smooth, disc-like shape, creating a seamless and tactile strand that drapes with a comfortable, substantial weight. The vivid sky-blue of the turquoise provides a brilliant contrast to the sunset hues of the spiny oyster, finished with traditional sterling silver cones for a clean and timeless silhouette. The artisans of the Kewa Pueblo have been world-renowned for their bead-making long before the introduction of metalwork to the Southwest. This specific color combination—turquoise and spiny oyster—is one of the most significant in Pueblo culture, representing the essential duality of the sky and the sea. Historically, these materials were brought together through vast, ancient trade networks that linked the inland Pueblos to the Pacific and Gulf coasts. By wearing this strand, you are carrying forward a thousand-year-old tradition of stone-cutting that celebrates the natural beauty and spiritual harmony of the earth’s most precious materials.