Necklace Date Unknown

This necklace, created by an artist from the Pueblo people, is held in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The necklace has a delicate circular shape with three strands of small, blue beads strung together, linked by a fragile white thread. The composition of the necklace lies in its simplicity and symmetry. The tiny beads create a textural rhythm with each bead like a module or a unit. This design, so minimal, encourages us to think about the deeper structures of adornment and identity, where the material merges with cultural expression. The necklace invites a semiotic reading, where the beads act as signs carrying cultural and personal meanings related to Pueblo traditions. The color, the circular shape, the number of strands all potentially encode specific narratives and values. The necklace serves not just an aesthetic purpose but reflects an interconnected worldview, blending individual expression with communal heritage.