Native American Necklace Overview

Depending on the designer, the meaning of Native American necklaces varies greatly from tribe to tribe, and person to person. For instance, the Arapaho warriors, inspired by visions in their dreams, created symbolic designs for their necklaces based upon their own individual experiences. Adorned to protect the wearer during hunting expeditions, the Zuni fetish necklaces were greatly respected and revered for their protective powers. The Hupa Indians of Northern California used shell necklaces to denote wealth and status. No matter the use, Native American necklaces have long been valued for their uniqueness. Derived from a wide variety of natural resources such as plants, minerals, and animals, the Native American necklace is revered and adulated throughout the world for both its diversity and beauty.

Squash Blossom Necklaces

Consisting of two specific designs, the squash blossom necklace is associated with the Navajo and various southwestern tribes. The first style is the naja which is a pendant shaped like an inverted crescent. The second style is the squash blossom necklace that utilizes pieces of silver which sliver out like the petals of a blossom. There are also variants to the original squash blossom, including, but not limited to, butterfly shaped squash blossoms and closed squash blossoms that lack the petals. Read more at our squash blossom necklace guide.

Native American Choker Necklaces

When Lewis and Clark encountered the Shoshone Indians, they reported choker necklaces made of twine around the locals’ necks. Two hundred years later and Native American choker necklaces are still in style. Today, the most popular form of chokers is the hair-pipe chokers, made from beads of bone. Derived from the plains tribes, hair pipe chokers are highly respected pieces of Native American jewelry. Most chokers latch by the tie close method and are also decorated with wampum, copper, or glass beads.

Native American Fetish Necklaces

Made to resemble animals and plants, Zuni fetish necklaces are made of natural resources consisting of stone, shells, antler, or wood. The Zuni Indians believe that animals and plants serve as a common mediator between man and the greater powers, even in their representational form. As a result, Zuni hunters would pray to their fetish before the hunt. As a result, Zuni hunters would pray to their fetish before the hunt. Even today, Native American fetish necklaces often symbolize the wearer’s affinity with a particular animal or plant.

Metal Native American Necklaces

As the years have passed by, the popularity of metal Native American necklaces has increased. While Native Americans such as the Southeastern tribes fancied copper, the introduction of other metals such as silver, brass, and gold brought about a greater change to Native American necklaces. Although silver is easily the favorite, gold is slowly being incorporated into more necklaces as artisans continue to adopt the yellow metal.

Beaded Native American Necklaces

There are different forms of beaded necklaces available in both single and multi strands. Heishi are tiny handmade beads that are miniscule enough to form spaghetti-sized necklaces. They are used in numerous combinations and are generally made from shell. The best Heishi are made from the Santa Domingo Pueblo. Other beaded necklaces consist of copper, glass, shell, seeds, animal bones and teeth. Beaded necklaces serve as an alternative to general metals.