"Squash-blossom" necklace and earrings made by a Zuni silversmith in New Mexico, 1973
For Native Americans the sale of jewelry, blankets, and other handicrafts has been a source of both economic and cultural survival. The Smithsonian has collected examples of these artifacts to tell this story and document the influence of Indian styles on mainstream American fashion. These pieces were donated in 1996 by white admirers of Native American jewelry, who bought them in 1973. The intricate pattern of tiny, inlaid turquoise pieces, called needlepoint, is characteristic of Zuni workmanship.
See also:
Folk Art, Jewelry, Native American History
