Kewa Hand-rolled Turquoise and Silver Necklace - 20.25" Long

Kewa Pueblo jeweler, Pablita Bailon, is well known for her hand-rolled stone and sterling silver necklaces.  This one is double strands of turquoise, sterling silver, and her signature single natural red coral bead.  The sterling silver adds a nice weight.  The necklace ends in a sterling silver hook and eye clasp.  More about hand-rolled beads below.

Size: 21.25"

Hand-rolled beads are made by chipping out pieces of stone or shell.  A hole is drilled into the center of each chip.  The chips are strung on a wire and rolled, and rolled, and rolled until they are all the same width.  Sometimes they are graduated – a difficult task!  They are then polished until smooth.  There are hand-rolled necklaces from Kewa Pueblo that are over a thousand years old.  In the “old days”, the holes were drilled with a hand-pump drill, strung on handmade string, and rolled on sandstone.   There is nothing quite like hand-rolled Kewa beads!

Many of the Pueblos in New Mexico took on Spanish names after colonization and are now taking back their original names.  Kewa Pueblo is the traditional name of the place and the people.  It was known as Santo Domingo Pueblo for many, many years.