Along with Native American clothing, Native American Indian jewelry is considered a national treasure. While the earliest pieces have found their home in many museums, modern day craftsmen are still creating stunning pieces of Indian jewelry. The Native Americans made Indian jewelry from items such as beads, shells, and minerals. Turquoise was used frequently as well as other plentiful minerals.

Native American Indian jewelry was composed mostly of beads. Intricate beadwork patterns were carefully handcrafted. There were many different Native American tribes and each tribe had their own style of Indian jewelry. Many of the items used to make Indian jewelry were beads, silver, ivory, amber, and copper. Once colonization began, trade for other items began and many Native Americans began to learn forms of metalworking that previously was unknown to them. The Native Americans began to learn more forms of jewelry making and began trading for newer items that could be incorporated into their pieces as well.

Primitive Indian jewelry was composed from materials such as bone, teeth, shells, beads, and other natural items. Beading was one of the most important styles of jewelry. Once the Native Americans began trading with the colonists, they began adding glass beads to their jewelry making crafts. Today, many authentic jewelry pieces are made from silver, turquoise, and glass beads.

Today, you can purchase many Indian jewelry items. They are readily available and are wonderful displays of the intricate detailed bead patterns perfected by the Native Americans. You can purchase authentic Indian jewelry in the form of chokers and necklaces, earrings, necklaces, belts, hatbands, medallions, and belt buckles.

Native Americans combined the love of beaded jewelry with clothing items. They often adorned items such as moccasins and headdresses. They also adorned many items such as baskets with beautiful beadwork and quillwork. The classic Native American choker that was composed of woven quills and beads has become a staple when one considers Indian jewelry.

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