Gift of Odelia V. Copeland
One of the most characteristic and well-known traditions of Southwest jewelry is the squash blossom necklace. The principal part of the necklace is the crescent-shaped “naja”. These necklaces are the cornerstone of most Native American jewelry collections. Pueblo and Navajo silversmiths adopted the crescent-shaped “naja” of the Spanish into their own artwork. Early squash blossom necklaces were made of silver only.
The now-familiar turquoise inlay patterns were a Zuni innovation in the nineteenth century. The squash blossom necklace serves as a reminder of the close interaction between the Pueblo and Navajo people since the mid-l 800s. The necklace itself is Navajo, adopted by the Zuni. As the incorporation of turquoise on each of the blossoms is an advent of the Zuni, later adopted by the Navajo, it can be said that the squash blossom originates not just from one tribe, but from many.
