ABOUT CHACO CANYONS ‘T’ DOOR:

If you have been to Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon, you have seen many T-shaped doors at that site. What they represent and why they were designed that way is still a mystery in Ancient Southwest studies today. The foremost expert on this phenomenon is Steve Lekson, Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado. The T-shaped doors phenomenon stretches from Chaco Canyon to Aztec Ruins and Mesa Verde 160 miles north of Chaco, and all the way south to Chihuahua, Mexico, 700 miles south, and into the high cliffs of the Sierra Madre north of the site of Paquime in Chihuahua.

The first T-shaped doors constructed at Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico were built between 850-1125 CE. The Chacoan complex disintegrated and the next construction of T-shaped doors appeared at Mesa Verde and Aztec Ruins 160 miles to the north, constructed between 1110-1275 CE. The last set of T-shaped doors were constructed 700 miles south at the site of Paquime between 1250-1450 CE, and high up in cliff houses in the Sierra Madre in the same time period.

The T-shaped doors at Chaco are found only in the Great Houses at Chaco in prominent exterior places looking out over plazas. When new construction took place at Aztec and Mesa Verde, a democratization of the doors took place. They then appear in big houses and smaller houses as well, and some are interior doors rather than all being exterior doors. At Paquime in the last phase, they become universal.

THE EARRINGS:

These fabulously designed are apart of Warren Nieto’s “Ancestral Puebloan” series & they are earrings that tell a story from numerous years ago...

Made in a drop style earring, these are made with a mosaic inlay of teal colored Nacozari turquoise. Warren chose this particular turquoise because the color has a deep teal color as if the turquoise has aged. The round tops are made with a Spiny Oyster center as if to emulate the Sun” as it shines down on the “T Door”.

Keeping the design as authentically true to that ancient time period as possible, the tops & drop are thoughtfully connected by way of durable string, reflecting the traditional methods used long ago. Before artists began utilizing metal jump rings to join elements together, this was the original technique practiced by the ancient Pueblo people, preserving both the functionality and cultural significance of their jewelry.(See photos)

The overall matte finish applied to the entire earring, gives them a unique, subtle aged appearance, enhancing their vintage type aesthetic. All these carefully chosen materials are expertly mosaic inlaid on a matte black jet backing.

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ARTIST: WARREN NIETO MADE EXCLUSIVELY FOR PLATA DE SANTA FE JEWELRY

TRIBAL AFFILIATION: KEWA VILLAGE (SANTO DOMINGO PUEBLO)

MEASUREMENT: 2.25" X 1"

COMBINED WEIGHT: 15 GRAMS

MOSAIC INLAID ATOP OF: MATTE FINISHED BLACK JET

MATERIALS: NACOZARI SONORAN TURQUIOSE- SPINY OYSTER SHELL

METAL: STAINLESS EAR STEM

EAR STYLE: POSTS

TECHNIQUE: TOTALLY MADE BY HAND-LAPIDARY-MOSAIC INLAY

HALLMARK: WN WITH ‘KIVA STEP’

COME GIFT BOXED

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PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING:

*****I do not consider myself a 'professional photographer" but I do try to give you photos that are 'realistic in color.. Please understand that all screen monitors are different, so the materials can look brighter (or duller) ,more intense or less intense from one computer/phone to the next.

In order to give you close up photos so I can provide you with all the detail, can tend to make the item look much more larger & everything is more magnified & exaggerated than in actuality. So to get an accurate idea of how big these are,please either check them out being worn to get a rough idea (photos) or you can pull out a tape measure & compare to my given measurements.