Vintage Rainbow Man Squash Blossom Necklace

The sterling silver, tufa cast naja depicts two Rainbow Men with big smiles on their faces.  There are two smaller Rainbow Men najas on each side between two squash blossoms.  The squash blossoms and Rainbow Men are strung on double strands of hand-made sterling silver beads which transition to single strands near the end.  The beads end with a hook and eye clasp.  Our estimate is that this lovely sterling silver vintage squash blossom necklace was made in the late 1960s or early 1970s and comes from a collection that we purchased with jewelry from the 1950s to 1980s.

Rainbow Man is an intelligent force of nature which Navajo people have relationships with.  It is a symbol of harmony that facilitates attention to the Grandfather intelligent force of nature.  The curve of Rainbow Man represents the rainbow which it is responsible for.

Size: 26" L - Naja 2.125" H x 2" W - Smaller Najas 1.75" H x 1.5" W

The naja is a prominent symbol in Navajo and Zuni jewelry and is always the center piece in squash blossom necklaces.  I was told they are a feminine symbol, and their crescent shape represents the arms of a matriarch and the generations of the past and future.  It symbolizes ease of movement, paths of least resistance for the family, even during challenging times.  There is a sense of open arms in the shape of the naja that is soothing.  Some najas have hands on each end.