This Navajo handmade traditional sterling silver squash blossom necklace has sixteen beautiful squash blossoms strung on two rows of handmade sterling silver beads. The naja in the center was tufa cast, more about that process and about najas below. Beautiful worn or hung in a shadowbox when not being worn to enjoy every day/ The beads end with a hook and eye clasp.
Size: 30" Long - Naja 2.75" H x 2.125" W - Squash blossoms 1" Long - Weight 320 grams
Tufa Jewelry: Tufa is a volcanic stone which can be as dense as chalk which has an organic texture. The first thing a jeweler does is examine a piece of tufa for any tiny fractures. If it looks good, the tufa is cut in half and, if there is a design, it is carved into the tufa. There is a pour hole carved into the top and several narrow vents carved into each side. The two pieces are then bound tightly together and molten silver or gold is poured through the hole at the top. If there are any microscopic cracks, the tufa explodes when the metal is poured in and the process has to begin again.
Najas are a prominent symbol in Navajo jewelry and are always the center piece in squash blossom necklaces. We were told they are a feminine symbol, and their crescent shape represents the arms of a matriarch and the generations of the past and future. It symbolizes ease of movement, paths of least resistance for the family, even during challenging times. There is a sense of open arms in the shape of the naja that is soothing. Some najas have hands of friendship on each end.