Hopi Indian Jewelry Biography
Source(google.com.pk)Hopi Styles
Hopi silverwork is of a more recent vintage than Navajo or Zuni. Early Hopi jewelry was made from natural materials, turquoise, shell, wood, and seeds. Silver working was introduced to the Hopi around 1890 when the Zuni smith Lanyard began to trade some of his silver jewelry among the Hopi, apparently in return for hand-woven native cotton textiles.
Lanyade eventually taught his craft to a Hopi named Sikyatala. Early handwrought silver beads, rings, and bracelets made by the Hopi are virtually indistinguishable from those made by Zuni and Navajo smiths. Some Hopi created cast silverwork, as well. But it was not until the 1930s that a distinctive Hopi style emerged, and it developed only with non-native encouragement.
In 1938 Dr. Harold Colton and his wife Mary Russell Colton of the Museum of Northern Arizona initiated a project encouraging Hopi silversmiths to create a unique type of jewelry that would be instantly recognized as Hopi.
The result, silver overlay, is today the most widely recognized type of Hopi silverwork. Using designs drawn from traditional pottery, textiles and baskets, Hopi smiths soldered together two sheets of silver after cutting out designs in the top layer so that the under layer is visible. The under layer is blackened or oxidized and usually textured with chisel marks or stamp work. Turquoise, coral, and other materials occasionally have been set in Hopi overlay jewelry, but for the most part, the elegant silver overlay has stood alone.
Through the 20th century, Southwestern Indian jewelry gradually diverged into clearly recognizable styles associated with Navajo, Zuni, Hopi and Rio Grande pueblos. Today, these distinctions have again begun to blur as native artisans, inspired by pioneering artists like Charles Loloma, James Little, Lee Yazzie and Preston Monongye, redefine the tradition and move toward a contemporary, more universal style of „new Indian' jewelry.
Native American Facts For Kids was written for young people learning about the Hopi Indian tribe for school or home-schooling reports. We encourage students and teachers to visit our Hopi language and culture pages for in-depth information about the tribe, but here are our answers to the questions we are most often asked by children, with Hopi pictures and links we believe are suitable for all ages.
History of Indian jewellery is as old as the history of the country itself. Around 5000 years ago, the desire to adorn
themselves aroused in people, leading to the origin of jewellery. Since then, Indian women and jewellery have
gone hand in hand. There cannot be a woman in India, who does not adore herself with minimum jewellery. In
fact, jewellery is considered as security and prestige of women in the country. The attraction for jewellery has
been great in India that it is no more a craft than an art.
Indian jewellery is unique in its design and workmanship. In all kinds of traditional dance forms, jewellery has
been a significant part. Be it Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi or Kathak, all have given importance to jewellery in
presenting the artist. The sheer number of items forming the jewellery of an Indian woman is numerous, ranging
from earrings and necklaces to pieces for adorning the hair, hip, feet, and feet. Jewellery made with emeralds,
diamonds, pearls, rubies, sapphires and other precious and semi-precious stones have been in practice for long.
The range of jewellery in India varies from religious to purely aesthetic types. It is crafted not only for humans, but
also for the Gods, ceremonial elephants and horses. Royal class people have given patronage to the art of
jewellery since ancient times, when rajas and maharajas vied with each other to possess the most exquisite and
magnificent pieces. Regional differences can be observed in the making of jewellery, depending on the
differences in geography, people, culture, and their lifestyle.
While the designs in solid gold jewellery of Tamil Nadu and Kerala are inspired by nature, the Meenakari and
Kundan styles of jewellery making have been influenced by the Mughal dynasty. Then there is a huge range of
silver beads found all over India, especially in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. Their
availability leads to the development of the bead jewellery, popular till date.
While Assamese jewellery is influenced by local flora and fauna, Manipuri jewellery-makers make use of items
like shells, animal claws, teeth and precious and semi-precious stones. These huge varieties of ornaments bear
testimony to the excellent skill of the jewellers and craftspeople of the country. Indian jewellery in Gold,
diamonds, silver, sterling silver, precious stones, copper and semi-precious stones is a rage all over the world.
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