The Squash Blossom Necklace
An article by Lee Anderson
Introduction
When Indian jewelry is mentioned, the symbol that often comes
to mind is the squash blossom necklace — the cornerstone of
most Indian jewelry collections. However, most people who own one
or more pieces have no idea of its origin or meaning.
Early Influences
This particular art object is truly an Indian creation. However,
it developed slowly and has roots deep in non-Indian culture and
history. The principle part of the necklace is the crescent-shaped
pendant, which the Southwestern Indians first saw as iron ornaments
on the horse bridles of the Spanish Conquistadors in the late 1500s
and early 1600s. Captured or traded, these ornaments soon graced
the necks of the local Indian populace. Their acquisition was a
matter of pride and the ornament, reproduced in the various metals,
was proudly displayed during ceremonials. These pendants, originally
brought from Spain, reflected the influence of earlier Moorish conquests
and the occupation of Spain. As generations came and went, the pendant,
referred to as a najahe or naja, became symbolic
with various ceremonials. Since most ceremonials were related to
the agricultural cycle, the naja was associated with crop
fertility.
Once silver beads came into fashion around 1880, what more logical
place was there to display the naja? However, the earlier
acquired najas were undoubtedly hung around the owner’s
neck by a simple thong. The first beads were large, non-ornamental
and round. From these, more complicated beads — fluted and
oval — developed. Often, dimes and quarters were fastened
to a silver shank and strung between the beads. Occasionally, these
coins were domed, filled, and made into beads.
The necklace we now call the squash blossom probably didn’t
originate much before 1880. It was not mentioned by Washington Mathews
in his Navajo Silversmiths Second Annual Report, 1880–1881.
Arthur Woodard, in 1938, pointed out that the Navajo and Zuni beads
were originally Spanish-Mexican trouser and jacket ornaments, fashioned
to resemble the pomegranate, a common Spanish decorator motif, often
carved or painted on missions in Mexico and worn on clothing. Early
Navajo “squash blossom” beads show a striking similarity
to the Mexican ornament and the pomegranate. Still, despite the
similarities, there is quite a bit of doubt that the Navajo attempted
to depict this blossom in his bead.
top
The “Bead That Spreads Out”
The Navajo word for the “squash blossom” bead is yo
ne maze disya gi, which means simply “bead that spreads
out.” Nothing in the word denoted squash or pomegranate blossom.
Perhaps the word was coined by a white man who, asking a Navajo
what the bead represented (the white man is obsessed with what something
means — he is rarely satisfied that something is simply attractive),
was told that it looked like a squash blossom (the Navajo understands
the white man’s obsession and often attempts to satisfy it
as painlessly as possible). It is doubtful that the Navajo intended
that the bead represent a squash blossom.
All have tended to portray the necklace in a crop-fertility light.
The Indian ceremonials dealt largely with the agricultural cycle,
and the first jewelry was worn during these occasions. In addition,
the beads and chain looked like pomegranates or squash blossoms.
The squash blossom necklace serves as a reminder of the close interaction
between the Pueblo and Navajo Indians since the mid 1800s. The necklace
itself is Navajo, adopted by the Zuni. Yet the incorporation of
turquoise on each of the blossoms is an advent of the Zuni, later
adopted by the Navajo. Unfortunately, there is little historical
documentation on this subject.
References / Recommended Readings
John Adair, The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths, University
of Oklahoma Press, 1944.
Margery Bedinger, Indian Silver, Navajo and Pueblo Jewelers,
University of New Mexico Press, 1973.
M.G. Brown, Blue Gold, The Turquoise Story, Main Street
Press, Anaheim, CA, 1975.
Larry Frank, Indian Silver Jewelry of the Southwest, Schiffer
Publishing Ltd., Westchester, Pennsylvania, 1990.
The International Turquoise Annuals, vol. I and II, 1975
and 1976 (only two published) Impart Pub, Reno, NV. Note in vol.
I the article on pages 31–55 by D. Allen Penick, “Turquoise,
the Mineral that’s an Accident.”
Carl Rosnek and Joseph Stacy, Skystone and Silver, Prentice
Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1976.
Joseph E. Poque, Ph.D, The Turquoise, A report to the
National Academy of Science, vol. XII, Second and Third Memoir,
1915. Reprinted in 1974 by Rio Grande Press, Inc., Glorieta, NM.
(This reprint includes a foreword and details on Southwestern turquoise
mines by Rex Arrowsmith and an excellent reference list. )
Stuart A. Northrop, Turquoise and Spanish Mines in New Mexico,
University of New Mexico, Press, 1975.
Stuart A. Northrop, David L. Newman, David H. Snow, Turquoise,
reprinted by General Printing and Paper Co., Topeka, KS. A reprint
from El Palacio, vol. 79, No. 1, 1973, Museum of New Mexico.
top
Related Indian Jewelry Articles by Lee and Eric Anderson
• “The
History of American Indian Jewelry”
• “Turquoise
in Indian Jewelry”
• “How
the Quality of Turquoise Affects Its Use in Jewelry”
• “Stones
Used In Indian Jewelry”
• “The
History of Turquoise”
• “The
Origin and Occurrence of Turquoise”
• “The
Physical Properties of Turquoise”
• “Natural,
Stabilized, Treated, Fake, and Synthetic Turquoise”
• “Turquoise
Quality”
|
