Navajo Horse Fetish, mid 20th century

Item: UOA1180
Material: agate
Size: 1 1/2" x 3/8" x 5/8"
Period: Historic
Origin: Navajo

This is a mid-20th century Navajo carved horse fetish. Horse fetishes in this style are often attributed to the Navajo people. Along with sheep and cows, horses are a sign of wealth, prosperity, and good standing particularly in the Navajo culture. These horse fetishes are carved to manifest these blessings and good fortune. Essentially, fetishism is the attribution of inherent value, or powers, to an object. Most, if not all Native American religions, functioned under some form of belief in animism. Animism illustrates the belief that a living spirit resides in all things, living or not. Animals, materials, elements of nature such as the sun and the moon, all possessed an individual spirit.

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