Description
Traditional handmade Native American Indian Jewelry from Indigenous Pueblos of the Southwest. Guaranteed authentic. Excellent condition.
Invite a bold, high-contrast look into your jewelry collection with these meticulously handcrafted mosaic inlay earrings by renowned Kewa artisan Joe Calabaza. This pair features a dramatic rectangular drop composed of deep, midnight-black jet, which serves as a stunning backdrop for vibrant accents of fiery red coral and a central sliver of creamy shell. Every element is hand-cut and precisely fit into a seamless mosaic before being polished to a sleek, glass-like luster. These drops are finished with high-quality sterling silver French hooks, offering a sophisticated, geometric profile that is remarkably lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear.
The Santo Domingo Pueblo (Kewa) is legendary for its mastery of “lithic” or stone-on-stone inlay, a tradition that predates metalwork in the American Southwest. Joe Calabaza is a master of this ancient craft, specializing in the precision grinding required to make multiple natural materials feel like one continuous, smooth surface. By utilizing jet—a fossilized coal prized for its weightlessness and intense black color—alongside traditional coral and shell, he honors the ancestral trade routes that first brought these materials to the Rio Grande Pueblos. These earrings are more than a simple accessory; they are a testament to the enduring technical skill and artistic vision of the Kewa people.
About The Artist
Joe R. Calabaza and his wife, Valerie F. Calabaza, are esteemed Native American jewelry artists from Kewa Pueblo (Santo Domingo Pueblo) in New Mexico. Joe was born and raised in Kewa Pueblo by his parents, Joseph F. and Mary Ann Calabaza, who taught him the foundational crafts of traditional Pueblo jewelry making.
The Calabaza family is widely renowned for their exquisite, super-fine heishe work, a meticulous and historic bead-making technique. Hand-cutting and shaping organic materials, Joe creates breathtaking heishe jewelry using natural stones such as turquoise, serpentine, black jet, and pipestone. Beyond his signature beadwork, Joe is also a master of intricate inlay mosaic and traditional silver and metalwork, allowing him to create a diverse range of authentic Southwestern jewelry.
More About this Artist
About the Pueblo
The Santo Domingo Pueblo, also known as Kewa, is a Native American community located in northern New Mexico, near the Rio Grande River. Known for its rich cultural heritage, the pueblo has a history that spans over 1,000 years. The Santo Domingo people are famous for their intricate pottery, vibrant textiles, and unique turquoise and silver jewelry. Their artisans are particularly renowned for creating striking mosaic-style jewelry using tiny pieces of turquoise, coral, and shell. The Santo Domingo Pueblo maintains strong traditions and a deep connection to their ancestral lands, with a focus on community, spirituality, and preserving their culture.
