Native American Silver Jewelry

Native American Indian Jewelry - how to make - Necklace Piece Part one

The Origins of Native American Silver Jewelry | njhightech.org

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Native American Silver Jewelry is known for its beauty and elegance. Silver jewelry made from expert Native American tribes is among the most highly priced and cherished. But few people know of the origins of these silver-smiths and how they came to be.

Before Columbus came to America, Indian tribes in America used natural materials to enhance their clothing and were used as adornments. Natural raw materials like stone, shells and bones were used to make necklaces and other pieces of jewelry. In fact, Wampum which was a type of shell bead was often traded as a currency or money.

European colonists in North and Central America introduced silver making to the new world. But silver jewelry did not become common among the tribes until the mid 1800s. At that time silver jewelry and silver works became to be used to trade for cattle and other supplies between tribes and with the Mexican and American traders. Silver making became popular among the all of southwestern tribes as a source of livelihood.

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