Pueblo Early Bead Necklace with Naja, c.1890

Item: YOJ1164
Material: silver
Size: 27" length, Naja: 2 1/2"
Period: Historic
Origin: Pueblo

This is a late 19th century Pueblo necklace consisting of graduated handmade silver beads. At the center hangs a simple silver crescent shaped naja pendant with fluted terminals and a cross at center. The naja design shape is thought to have originated from the Moorish and then borrowed from the Spanish and was created as a talisman for protection, with the Moors affixing it to their horses’ bridles to ward off the evil eye. The Navajo eventually began incorporating it into their jewelry, which then spread to some Pueblo tribes as well.

SOLD