Santo Domingo Pueblo - Turquoise Heishi Jacla
SKU:
Jacla
$350.00
$350.00
This piece was made for the late Sadelle Green and came from my family collection of Native American Jewelry. It was acquired in the mid 1970's and was handmade of the finest materials. You'll rarely find a better quality specimen of this type.
A jacla is two loops of heishi that were originally earrings and sometimes fastened to the bottom of a stone necklace as a pendant-like attachment.
Jacla is Navajo for "ear string". The Navajo spelling is the most commonly used version of the word. Heishi originated with the Santo Domingo and San Felipe Pueblo Indians of New Mexico. That's why many people refer to this type of jewelry as Santo Domingo jewelry. Although jaclas are attributed to the Pueblo Indians, they were traded with other tribes so have become associated with the Navajo as well. They are seen in vintage photos being worn by members of all southwest tribes, both men and women.
Traditionally a heishi necklace would have a secondary pendant, tied on at the bottom, called a jacla of turquoise. Originally these were heishi earrings that were stored with the necklace and tied onto it. Heishi means shell and usually referred to pieces of shell, coral, MOP, turquoise, jet, or pipestone which have been drilled and ground into bead shapes and strung as necklaces.
Heishi beads are made by slicing the shell or stone into uniform strips. Then the pieces are nipped into small squares. Each square then has a hole drilled in it. The squares are strung, each material being strung in a separate group. The strings of squares are smoothed and rounded by grinding and rolling the beads. Once the beads have reached the rough ground round stage, they are ready for sanding. The beads are smoothed and shaped using sandpaper. The string of finished material is washed and dried in the sun. Then they are polished on a leather belt.
Authentic handmade heishi is smooth and uniform but will have variations among the beads. There will be a variation in color and thickness or there might be a slight imperfection in the shell or bead. This adds to its unique appearance. Like many other things, you get what you pay for. If you want an authentic, traditional heishi necklace, this is the type you should be looking for.
4.3g, 16" long
A jacla is two loops of heishi that were originally earrings and sometimes fastened to the bottom of a stone necklace as a pendant-like attachment.
Jacla is Navajo for "ear string". The Navajo spelling is the most commonly used version of the word. Heishi originated with the Santo Domingo and San Felipe Pueblo Indians of New Mexico. That's why many people refer to this type of jewelry as Santo Domingo jewelry. Although jaclas are attributed to the Pueblo Indians, they were traded with other tribes so have become associated with the Navajo as well. They are seen in vintage photos being worn by members of all southwest tribes, both men and women.
Traditionally a heishi necklace would have a secondary pendant, tied on at the bottom, called a jacla of turquoise. Originally these were heishi earrings that were stored with the necklace and tied onto it. Heishi means shell and usually referred to pieces of shell, coral, MOP, turquoise, jet, or pipestone which have been drilled and ground into bead shapes and strung as necklaces.
Heishi beads are made by slicing the shell or stone into uniform strips. Then the pieces are nipped into small squares. Each square then has a hole drilled in it. The squares are strung, each material being strung in a separate group. The strings of squares are smoothed and rounded by grinding and rolling the beads. Once the beads have reached the rough ground round stage, they are ready for sanding. The beads are smoothed and shaped using sandpaper. The string of finished material is washed and dried in the sun. Then they are polished on a leather belt.
Authentic handmade heishi is smooth and uniform but will have variations among the beads. There will be a variation in color and thickness or there might be a slight imperfection in the shell or bead. This adds to its unique appearance. Like many other things, you get what you pay for. If you want an authentic, traditional heishi necklace, this is the type you should be looking for.
4.3g, 16" long
1 available
