Santo Domingo Six Strand Heishe Necklace, c.1940s

This early example of classic Santo Domingo white clam shell heishe dates to the 1940s. Six strands of traditional heishe are intertwined in a spiral on sturdy cotton string. The necklace measures 26" and easily slides over the head for wearing. This is an excellent example of traditional Pueblo jewelry. Archaeological examples demonstrate that shell jewelry dates to at least 300 AD in Indigenous cultures in the Southwest, with shell coming from trade routes from the Gulf of California.