Navajo Indian Old Pawn TURQUOISE SILVER BOLO
The strong, classic look of the southwest expressed on a masterfully hand crafted bolo. This is a definite one of a kind, this bolo features a genuine stabilized nugget of Kingman Turquoise. This breath-taking Turquoise is set in a Sterling Silver bezel that has been sweated to the hand cut Sterling Silver plate. The artist then adorned this bolo with shimmering Sterling Silver leaf and flower figures, and surrounded the entire center arrangement with hand twisted Sterling Silver wire. Traditional, hand stamped designs dress the edges of this bolo with an old, southwestern feeling. Made in our shop. This bolo is 1-1/2" wide and 1-3/4" long. It comes with a complimentary black bolo cord. Turquoise nuggets may vary.
There are many legends about Turquoise; The Pima consider it to bring good fortune and strength and that it helped overcome illness. The Zuni believe that blue turquoise was male and of the sky and green turquoise was female and of the earth. Pueblo Indians thought that its color was stolen from the sky. In Hopi legend the lizard who travels between the above and the below, excretes turquoise and that the stone can hold back floods. The Apache felt that turquoise on a gun or bow made it shoot straight. The Navajo consider it as good fortune to wear and believe it could appease the Wind Spirit.
The Navajo were the first to produce jewelry that required the working of metal. Their love of metal working can be traced to the Spanish arrival in the Southwest. The silver bridles and horse trappings of the Conquistadors were admired and often stolen by the raiding Navajos. Later when the area became part of Mexico, Mexican silversmiths traded jewelry to wealthy Navajo for sheep. Jewelry became a symbol of wealth.
We understand the true value and nature of hand crafted Indian art. And, we recognize it's important to know that the artist is truly a member of a Native American tribe. So, to ensure you that this is the real deal, a Certificate of Authenticity has been included with this item.
