Bracelet c. 1920

This silver bracelet with a turquoise setting was made by a Navajo, or Diné, artist. The bracelet’s material influence is seen through its form, texture, and weight. The silver is likely coin silver, sourced from melted-down American currency, then hammered and stamped with designs. This practice reflects the resourcefulness required to adapt traditional silversmithing to new materials, in turn creating new forms of cultural expression. The turquoise, a valuable material for the Diné people, also plays a central role in the bracelet’s design. It adds color and texture to the silver, but also holds cultural significance as a sacred stone. The bracelet reflects the intersection of indigenous traditions, trade, and the influence of European-American culture. It is a reminder that the value and meaning of objects lie not only in their aesthetic appeal, but also in the stories of labor, adaptation, and cultural exchange that they embody.