Necklace 1870 - 1880

Editor: Here we have a silver necklace created by a Navajo artist, sometime between 1870 and 1880. The circular beads and crescent pendant give it a really striking geometric feel. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: The silversmithing immediately grabs my attention. Consider the labour invested in each of these individual components, each carefully hammered and shaped, the repetitive process of creating the beads, all by hand. What can the materiality of this object tell us about the Diné people and the historical conditions under which this piece was created? Editor: I guess I hadn’t really thought about the sheer work that goes into something like this. Is there something special about silver in this cultural context? Curator: Absolutely. Silverworking wasn't traditionally a Diné craft. Its adoption is intrinsically linked to contact with Europeans and Mexicans, marking a shift in production and economy. The silver itself, likely acquired through trade, would have been a valuable and sought-after material. Editor: So, it’s not just an aesthetic choice, but something more historically significant? Curator: Precisely! It's about the transfer of knowledge, the adoption of new technologies, and the integration of silver into their existing cultural practices and economies. The form also speaks volumes. The crescent shape, known as a "naja," predates Navajo silversmithing and has roots in Spanish colonial ornamentation. Its incorporation signifies cultural exchange and adaptation. The artist makes something entirely new by adapting designs from a pre-existing culture with the new medium they are working with. Editor: That’s really interesting. It reframes the necklace entirely – it's not just a beautiful object, it's a document of a really specific historical moment. Curator: Exactly. It shows how artistic practices are embedded within broader historical and social processes of exchange and adaptation. Editor: Thanks, that gives me a lot to think about.