A Brief History in Religious Jewelry
Religious jewelry has been prevalent since times immemorial. While the cross has been a popular symbol used in jewelry since centuries, the fish charm among Christians too remains popular. Rosary beads are another example of jewelry that has been popular amongst many different religions. When Islam came into Egypt, men were forbidden from wearing golden jewelry which is when silver jewelry gained popularity.
Ancient Egyptian jewelry used symbols like serpent, falcon, lotus and beetle most of which were related to good luck, healing and the power of gods. For Native Americans the jewelry was more a dedication to nature and gained importance especially during the harvest rituals. Their jewelry usually consisted of beads, shells, stones and other materials from which symbols of life were designed. Gold and diamond jewelry which was studded with precious stones like rubies and sapphires continue to dominate the Indian mythological stories as well as the Greek history.
The History of Native American Jewelry
Turquoise jewelry and bead jewelry are one of the more popular jewelry styles of the Native American Indians. They have also taken exotic designs outside the style of their tribes from various artists. The Navajo Indians for example were made famous by their Squash Blossom necklaces while the Zuni Indian techniques included more of mosaic and petit point jewelry that used lot of shells and stones.
Most of the American Indians use the sterling silver which is not pure but contains copper to make silver more malleable. Santo Domingo Indians make jewelry consisting largely of beads, jet, coral and turquoise. Hopi Indians too use stones and a technique of making silver jewelry where one sheet of silver with the designs can be overlaid on another sheet, followed by polishing of the sheets. Seashells, Mother of Pearl, beads, Conch, Abalone and Clam are other varieties used in the Native American Indian jewelry.