Authentic Navajo Jewelry - History, Techniques, Artists

The Navajo Nation (Dine) is the largest federally recognised tribe in the United States and the foremost source of Native American silversmithing. Knowledge arrived from Mexican plateros in the mid‑1800s and quickly developed into a distinct craft. Atsidi Sani, known as Old Smith, learned metalworking around 1853 and is credited as the first Navajo silversmith. Within a generation, artisans were producing concho belts, squash‑blossom necklaces, bracelets and rings that reached markets through Indian trader networks. Signature techniques include hand‑cut stamping, sand‑cast casting in tufa or sandstone molds, and repousse relief work. Navajo pieces are noted for heavy‑gauge silver and large single‑stone turquoise settings, often featuring iconic designs such as the squash‑blossom, concho belt and Naja pendant. Prominent Navajo families such as Begay, Yazzie, Johnson and Livingston continue the tradition, creating jewellery that is collected by museums and shown at national expositions.