The Hopi Indians inhabit their ancestral lands in North Central Arizona. The Hopi people have always excelled as artists and craftsmen known for intricate Hopi Indian jewelry symbols. This article will illustrate meanings of some of their respected Hopi Indian Jewelry symbols.
About Hopi Indian Jewelry Symbols
Hopi spirituality is shown in Hopi Indian jewelry symbols, dances, art and ceremonies. Before going into depth about Hopi Indian jewelry symbols and their meanings upon their life, we need to know them.
Water in Hopi Indian jewelry symbols can be shown as turtles, frogs, clouds, lightning, rain and waves. Fertility and food in Hopi Indian jewelry symbols are corn, bean sprouts and other crops.
The Hopi Indian jewelry symbols for the spiritual world, katsinas, tells of being born from earth and migrating through life. For this, prayer feathers or folk figures symbolize the spiritual world as shown in Hopi Indian jewelry symbols. Animals have powerful influence to Hopi, who use animals often in Hopi Indian Jewelry symbols.
The Hopi Calendar is Highly Sacred
Hopi Indian jewelry symbols reflect sacred time and space in artwork and the sacred calendar by marking where the sun rises and sets in summer and winter solstices. Their sun priest of the Water Clan performs “sun watching” near solstices. This is the basis of sacred Katsina dances, Social Dances and planting times. They believe the universe is divided into the upper world of living and lower world of spirits as is reflected in many Hopi Indian Jewelry symbols.
Accumulations into Hopi Jewelry Symbols and Overlay
Sterling silver overlay is uniquely characteristic of Hopi Indian jewelry symbols. Two pieces of silver are used, designs being cut into one, which is overlaid and soldered to the first piece. Great depth occurs and can be accented in the Hopi Indian jewelry symbols by oxidized or textured silver base.
Hopi Indian jewelry symbols use designs related to the Hopi Indian spiritual beliefs. The intricacy of Hopi Indian jewelry symbols in such limited spaces is amazing and celebrates talent of Hopi Indians, who have crafted the Hopi Indian jewelry symbols into precious art since Hopi beginning.
Renowned Hopi Indian Artists of Today
Chalmers Day is the most famous and lauded Hopi Indian jewelry artist. He has been awarded First Place at the Santa Fe Indian Market, a high honor within the trade and the Indian Nations.