Native Americans have used the art Native American Indian Silver Jewelry making for centuries as both a way to adorn themselves and to establish social status. Many Native Americans still practice jewelry making arts in exactly the same way their ancestors did hundreds of years ago. Native American Indian Silver Jewelry, however is a fairly new tradition in comparison to some other forms of Native American jewelry art.

History of Native American Indian Silver Jewelry

Native Americans first discovered the beauty of silver when Spanish explorers brought the metal to America. Native Americans were quick to learn that the silver ornaments gave the explorers status among themselves.

Native American Indian Silver Jewelry became popular as Native Americans began to learn how to silver smith for themselves. The first Native American Indian Silver Jewelry were the squash blossom necklaces, the design of which many believe was borrowed from the cross or crescent shapes that the explorers were fond of.

In the 1800s Native American Indian Silver Jewelry primarily consisted of conch type jewelry, buckles, pins and hair ornaments. As more Native Americans took up the art of making Native American Indian Silver Jewelry they shared their new information with other tribes. In this way, each tribe was able to customize Native American Indian Silver Jewelry to reflect their own individual cultural heritage.

Native American Indian Silver Jewelry Today

Today, Native American Indian Silver Jewelry provides a means of income for many Native Americans. Native American Indian Silver Jewelry shops provide a boost in reservation economy for many reservations across America. Thanks to the technology of the internet, many Native American artists can also make their beautiful Native American Indian Silver Jewelry available to customers anywhere in the country.

Most popular among Native American artists of many tribes is jewelry that combines silver with turquoise. This combination is so popular that many people automatically associate it with Native American culture. Because of the ease of acquiring Native American Indian Silver Jewelry through Native American websites, many people from all different cultures are able to enjoy these beautiful pieces of art.

Through the efforts of artist education on many reservations, a new generation of Native Americans are also learning how to create Native American Indian Silver Jewelry. In this way, the ancient art form of Native American Indian Silver Jewelry can be passed on to new artisans. We want many generations to come to be able to enjoy Native American Indian Silver Jewelry.