The plural of the spoken word chiclet--or chicklet--in the past has for me evoked an image of either a fluffy grouping of baby birds or a cluster of the colorful candy chewing gum formulated from the gum of Manilkara chicle trees. But since my eyes landed on one of Henry Rosetta's chiclet necklaces, forevermore on hearing the term, the jewelry version will leap foremost in my mind. Henry told me that he started the chiclet necklace, but they are now frequently made by other Santa Domingo Pueblo artisans.
The Santo Domingo Pueblo is a globally recognized source of exquisite Native American bead jewelry much of it is very similar to the centuries old Anasazi shell and stone jewelry found in Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon.
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| Santo Doming Chiclet Necklace and Earrings |
Henry Rosetta and his wife's crafting methods reflect ancient jewelry crafting methodology. They do not use cactus needles and sand to drill holes as was practiced by the Anasazi, but their stone and shell jewelry component beads including the tiny heishi pieces are all hand cut and drilled from raw materials.
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| Close-up of Chiclets and White Heishi Beads |
