Turquoise Squash Blossom Woman-SOLD
SKU:
CA$300.00
CA$275.00
CA$275.00
Many year ago an elder woman gifted this piece to me. Having no understanding of what it was I was delighted to rip it apart and re-string it! So although the squash and beads are authentic and probably about 50 years old or so, the red and silver beads are a new addition, a new remembering of the old classic squash necklaces.
A little bit about Squash Blossom necklaces:"For thousands of years, symbols have told stories and have also served as a method to gain power over the forces and the phenomena which effect a society or a person.
The inverted crescent pendant on squash-blossom necklaces, called the 'Naja' by the Navajo, is found in various design forms throughout the world cultures. As a crescent, this form goes back as far as the Paleolithic period. It is mentioned in the book of Judges as an ornament worn around the necks of camels. In the Phoenician culture, Astarte was the goddess of fertility and she was represented by the inverted crescent as well. As pendants, the inverted crescent has also been found in ancient Roman, and Crete artifacts.
During the Middle Ages, the Moors rode out of the East and conquered lands in a westerly direction including eight centuries of occupation in Spain. They adopted the symbol as a bridle
ornament, and thought the inverted crescent would protect both themselves and their horses from 'the evil eye'. When the Spaniards came to South and Central America, they brought that same idea with them for the protection of their horses and of their soldiers. Thus, the Moors taught the Spanish, who taught the Mexicans, who taught the Navajo their belief systems and metallurgy.
Coming from another direction in North America, the inverted crescent symbol was on various types of trade goods brought from the East coast by other Europeans. The crescent pendant was used from the early 1800's on, by the Shawnee, Delaware, Cheyenne, Comanche and Navajo tribes, among others. However, metal work of various European influences was found in the southwest as early as the 1700's. At this time, the Navajo were fierce warriors who more often raided but occasionally traded with their neighbors, the Plains Tribes.
By the 1820's, Southern Plains metalworkers had learned the processes of cutting, stamping and cold hammering. Much of this work was produced in German silver. German silver was a different alloy as compared with the Mexican silver, which was often used by the Navajo. Through contact with either the Spanish and/or the various Plains Tribes, the Navajo adopted the symbol of the inverted crescent for their horses. The Naja was put on the horse headstall, the front center band of the horse bridle, and later, the Naja moved into the realm of necklaces.
One symbol of the squash blossom can be found on ancient petroglyphs at the Saguaro National Monument in Arizona. It is believed that the flower symbol that we commonly see in necklaces was brought to the Navajo at the turn of the century, the 1800's to the 1900's. The blossom is represented with long petals beginning to open and a sphere attached at the base of the flower. The flower pendent is a representation of the Spanish-Mexican pomegranate and a variation of this design can be found in the motif of Granada, Spain." From the River trading Post web-site.
This piece is 17" long and comes packaged in a gift box.
A little bit about Squash Blossom necklaces:"For thousands of years, symbols have told stories and have also served as a method to gain power over the forces and the phenomena which effect a society or a person.
The inverted crescent pendant on squash-blossom necklaces, called the 'Naja' by the Navajo, is found in various design forms throughout the world cultures. As a crescent, this form goes back as far as the Paleolithic period. It is mentioned in the book of Judges as an ornament worn around the necks of camels. In the Phoenician culture, Astarte was the goddess of fertility and she was represented by the inverted crescent as well. As pendants, the inverted crescent has also been found in ancient Roman, and Crete artifacts.
During the Middle Ages, the Moors rode out of the East and conquered lands in a westerly direction including eight centuries of occupation in Spain. They adopted the symbol as a bridle
ornament, and thought the inverted crescent would protect both themselves and their horses from 'the evil eye'. When the Spaniards came to South and Central America, they brought that same idea with them for the protection of their horses and of their soldiers. Thus, the Moors taught the Spanish, who taught the Mexicans, who taught the Navajo their belief systems and metallurgy.
Coming from another direction in North America, the inverted crescent symbol was on various types of trade goods brought from the East coast by other Europeans. The crescent pendant was used from the early 1800's on, by the Shawnee, Delaware, Cheyenne, Comanche and Navajo tribes, among others. However, metal work of various European influences was found in the southwest as early as the 1700's. At this time, the Navajo were fierce warriors who more often raided but occasionally traded with their neighbors, the Plains Tribes.
By the 1820's, Southern Plains metalworkers had learned the processes of cutting, stamping and cold hammering. Much of this work was produced in German silver. German silver was a different alloy as compared with the Mexican silver, which was often used by the Navajo. Through contact with either the Spanish and/or the various Plains Tribes, the Navajo adopted the symbol of the inverted crescent for their horses. The Naja was put on the horse headstall, the front center band of the horse bridle, and later, the Naja moved into the realm of necklaces.
One symbol of the squash blossom can be found on ancient petroglyphs at the Saguaro National Monument in Arizona. It is believed that the flower symbol that we commonly see in necklaces was brought to the Navajo at the turn of the century, the 1800's to the 1900's. The blossom is represented with long petals beginning to open and a sphere attached at the base of the flower. The flower pendent is a representation of the Spanish-Mexican pomegranate and a variation of this design can be found in the motif of Granada, Spain." From the River trading Post web-site.
This piece is 17" long and comes packaged in a gift box.
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