Monday, November 12, 2012

Navajo Portrait Pendant 4

This impressive portrait profile pendant depicts the head of a Navajo man dressed in ceremonial coyote costume, a practice still widely observed among the modern Navajo.  The pelt riggings complete with coyote tails are often pawned when not needed then retrieved periodically for ceremonial use.   The piece shown above is stamped "Calvin Begay" and "J Duboise" for John Duboise, the brother of the very accomplished micro-inlayer Norman Duboise who actually designed and placed the natural stone and tiny silver cuttings to create this unique work.    The pendants from this portrait series represent some of the best pieces of Indian Jewelry I have ever seen.