One of a Kind piece

Stunning Zuni necklace and earrings, featuring Sunface.
 

This necklace, composed of fourteen Sunface made in inlay is sold with a pretty pair of matching earrings. This set is made in Sleeping Beauty turquoise (Arizona) coral, mother-of-pearl and black-jet inlay.

The inlay is a cutting-edge jewelry-making process in which the Zuni excel: the silversmiths cut stones by hand with great precision to create the design of their choice and they polish the whole for a smooth and elegant finish. To be more precise, the know-how used here is the "channel inlay", a technique for which the artist - Burdian Soseeah - is well known: she creates silver compartments to set the stones she has meticulously hand-cut... Just imagine how long it takes to make each Sunface!

Sunface is an emblematic figure of Zuni culture. It is the sun god, a very positive divinity symbol of life.

The pendant on this necklace echoes the shape of the Naja. It's a horseshoe-shaped element found particularly as pendants of traditional necklaces known as Squash Blossom. Like a talisman, the Naja confers protection.

Finally, this necklace also features a fine example of sterling silver beads, another craft in which Native jewelers excel: you can see that each bead is composed of two silver spheres soldered together to create beautiful, uniform beads.

Necklace length: 62cm (24 inches 1/2)

Diameter of each Sunface on the sides of the necklace : 1,9cm
(0.3/4 inch)

Dimensions of central Naja (L x W): 4,7cm x 4,5cm
(2 inches x 2inches)

Earring dimensions (L x W): 3,8cm x 1,9cm
(1 inch 1/2 x 0.3/4 inch)

Sterling silver clasp.

Proudly handcrafted in the USA.