Zuni Pueblo Petite Squash Blossom Necklace

This Zuni Pueblo petit silver and turquoise squash blossom necklace is a stunning piece of Native American jewelry. At 11-½ inches from clasp to naja and 25 inches end-to-end, it's a more delicate and lightweight option, perfect for everyday wear.

The necklace features 12 squash blossoms, each adorned with beautiful blue turquoise gemstone set in a silver bezel and arranged in a floral design. The turquoise gemstones, in very small cuts, add a touch of color and elegance to the piece.

The centerpiece of the necklace is the crescent-shaped naja pendant. The naja is embellished with an inner row of small round turquoise and an outer row with elongated turquoise gemstones in soft shades of blue, creating a visually striking and intricate design.

The necklace is strung on a double row of silver beads that change to a single row near the ends. This petite Zuni bowtie squash blossom necklace is a timeless piece that is uniquely smaller and lighter than most squash blossom necklaces.

G. T. Yuselen is a premier silversmith from the Zuni Pueblo, belonging to a lineage of artists renowned for their contributions to traditional carvings and fine jewelry. Yuselen's work is a masterclass in the "Zuni Style," defined not by the weight of the silver, but by the extraordinary precision of the stonework.

It was first the Navajo who made squash blossom necklaces, then it was the Zuni artisans who began making them. The influence for such necklaces goes back to the Spanish colonial and Mexican visitors to this area. The blossoms were modeled after attachments to the vaquero visitors' trousers.

Technically, the blossoms attached to the necklace were derived from the pomegranate! The area with the small turquoise cabs that looks like a blossom and the silver protrusions were copied from pomegranate blossoms seen on the trousers of the vaqueros (cowboys) from Spain and Mexico. There were no pomegranates in New Mexico so the closest blossom with which the Navajo were familiar was squash. Regardless of the name, these have been among the most popular Native American necklaces for decades, certainly as early as pre-World War II.

The naja was influenced by adornments of the Spanish who outfitted their horses in elaborate silver ornaments — one of which was the naja that hung directly on the forehead of the horse as a part of the bridle. The naja was originally an influence from the Moors.

Petit squash blossom necklaces are favored because they are lightweight and comfortable to wear. The small handmade silver beads appear to be the style from the late twentieth century.

In the mid to late twentieth century, particularly the 1950s to the 1980s, squash blossom necklaces were very popular. They then went into a period of dormancy, spending 20 or more years in a jewelry box. Now there is a revival and they are being seen around the necks of many visitors and residents of New Mexico.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Zuni Pueblo Petite Squash Blossom Necklace is from the estate of an Adobe Gallery client

Recommended Reading: The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths by John Adair

TAGS: Southwest Indian Jewelry, Zuni Pueblo, G. T. Yuselen