Colorful Mosaic Inlay Pendant

Mary Louise Tafoya from Kewa Pueblo in New Mexico created this colorful mosaic inlay pendant and strung it on sky blue turquoise.  It reminds us of a doorway to a very special place!  The stones include turquoise, lemon serpentine, spiny oyster shell, and onyx inlaid onto a jet back.  Each of her creations is one of a kind and unique.  Mary Louise signs each of her necklaces with her name and her signature flower.  More about mosaic inlay below.

Length: 18", Pendant: 2" H x 1.675" L x .25" W

Jewelers from Kewa Pueblo have been creating mosaic inlay jewelry for over a thousand years.  Some of the ancient Kewa jewelry can seem quite modern in their designs.  The stones, and/or shell, are cut into shapes which are then put together like a puzzle on a backing.  The backing can be shell, jet, or other materials like records or sheets of plastic which was used during times when materials were hard to come by.  Prior to colonization and the use of metals in Native American jewelry making, the earrings were hung on handmade string.