A PERSONAL WORD ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Kewa Puebloan artist Warren Nieto is a true favorite and consistently ranks high at the very top of my personal list for many meaningful reasons. Not only do I treasure him as a genuine friend whom I deeply admire and trust, but everything Warren creates emanates directly from his rich Ancestral Puebloan roots. These traditions have been carefully and respectfully passed down from generation to generation through a profound ‘oral’ history that stretches back as far as the “CE” years when Warren’s ancestors lived in the historic Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonito, and Mesa Verde regions of America, long before the arrival of any settlers.

Ancestral Puebloan sites, such as the renowned Chaco Canyon, have documented that pueblo ancestors were situated at the heart of extensive turquoise trade routes that stretched from the Pacific Northwest all the way down to Central America. These important trade routes not only facilitated the exchange of turquoise but also brought in a variety of shells, tusks, and other natural materials into the cultural sphere of ancestral Pueblo communities. This rich influx of diverse materials played a significant role in making their intricate mosaic pieces vibrant, colorful, and truly unique, reflecting a broad network of connections across regions.

When the idea of recreating some of the ancient Ancestral Puebloan and pre-historic Hohokam jewelry first came to mind, there was truly no other artist I could trust to bring this vision to life with authenticity and care, than Warren. He immediately understood exactly what I was referring to and shared in the excitement and I was confident the work would be done with the utmost respect and skill, along with his historical knowledge to back it. What you’ll receive from Warren are like beautifully painted Puebloan stories, artfully expressed through the thoughtful combination of many vibrant stones and delicate shells.

ABOUT THE HOHOKAM PEOPLE:

Unless you’re familiar with every American Native tribe throughout the southwest, most however have never heard of Arizona’s Hohokam people who lived in the North American Southwest which is now part of south-central Arizona, United States, and Sonora, Mexico. They existed between the years of 300 and 1500 CE, with cultural precursors possibly as early as 300 BCE!

Most archaeologists either argue they emerged locally or in Mesoamerica, but were also influenced by the Northern Pueblo culture. One of the main things they were known for was for the Hohokam's irrigation systems which were the most advanced in North America at the time, with canals stretching for miles. They were also skilled farmers, cultivating crops like corn, beans, squash, and cotton, and developing extensive irrigation canals to water their fields.They were also skilled artisans, creating intricate shell jewelry, along with pottery. .The Hohokam culture declined around 1450 CE, and the reasons for their disappearance are not fully understood. 

THE NECKLACE:

This ancient Hohokam inspired Frog necklace is part of Warren’s “Ancestral Puebloan Series,” where he thoughtfully takes us on a journey back through time with designs that are reminiscent of the jewelry his ancestors might have worn, dating as far back to approximately the 1100-1200 CE time period. While making this necklace, he paid meticulous attention to every little detail, ensuring that it stays as historically accurate and faithful to the original era as possible, while putting his own design stamp in it! (See photos 3 & 4)

Made entirely by hand using exquisite teal green Nacozari Sonoran turquoise, warm clay-colored Pipestone, and creamy white Glycymeris clam shell, this piece is a true work of art. The focal point of this stunning necklace is not only the harmonious blend of these three distinct colored materials, but also the intricately hand-carved Glycymeris shell frog. This frog is a masterpiece in itself, featuring a back adorned with a delicate mosaic inlay of vibrant Nacozari Sonoran turquoise, complete with carefully set turquoise eyes that bring it to life (refer to photos 9, 10, and 11 for close details).

If you examine the second to last photo (Photo 22), you will appreciate Warren’s ingenious design where he used a chunky cut of turquoise on the frog’s underside, skillfully drilled to allow the string to pass through and form the beautiful heishi strands. The hand-cut clam shell heishi beads are graduated, decreasing in size toward the back of the necklace, and are arranged in an alternating color pattern featuring 6 cuts per side of turquoise and pipestone, creating a balanced and visually captivating effect.

To maintain a harmonious color pattern throughout the piece, the Warren created two fully mosaic-inlaid reversible cones, adding visual interest and versatility. These cones are finished with the traditional “Squaw Wrap” style, not only enhancing the aesthetic appeal, but also providing extra comfort for the wearer. The squaw wrap design allows the necklace to be slipped easily over the head, making it practical as well as beautiful. Unless a woman is wearing an voluminous “bouffant” hairstyle, the necklace is designed long enough to comfortably fit over almost any head size, ensuring ease of wear.

Remarkably, no metal was used whatsoever in the design of this exquisite necklace; instead, it is entirely made using specialized techniques where “Lapidary” plays a crucial and important role. This art of cutting and shaping stones highlights both the inherent beauty of the materials and the exceptional skill involved in their precise workmanship.

Be sure to check out Warren’s Ancestral Puebloan earrings & more necklaces, including "HOHOKAM" inspired necklaces!! (A ultra gorgeous 5 strand Charm Necklace from the series can be found under “Necklaces”, whereas all the others are under this same “Necklace 2” category! Earrings are under the “Earrings 3” category!

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ALSO VIEW ALL PHOTOS,SINCE THEY PLAY A ROLE TO THE DESCRIPTION!

ANCESTRAL PUEBLO SERIES NECKLACE:

ARTIST: WARREN NIETO - MADE EXCLUSIVELY FOR PLATA de SANTA FE JEWELRY

TRIBAL AFFILIATION: KEWA VILLAGE-(SANTO DOMINGO PUEBLO)

WEARABLE LENGTH: ABOUT 24” (THIS IS ‘APPROXIMATE,SINCE THE NECKLACE CANNOT OPEN-MEASURED WITHOUT THE FROG)

FROG ALONE: 3” X 3-1/8”

TOTAL LENGTH: ABOUT 27”

WEIGHT: 169.5 GRAMS (5.97 OUNCES)

MATERIALS: NACOZARI SONORAN TURQUOISE-PIPESTONE-CLAM SHELL-STRING

HEISHI CLAM SHELL BEAD SIZE: GRADUATES FROM AS LARGE AS 10.5 MM DOWN TO 6.5 MM ROUND

STRAND AMOUNT: 1

CLOSURE: SQUAW WRAP

HALLMARK: “WN” WITH “KIVA STEPS” ON BACK OF FROG

COMES GIFT BOXED

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SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT:

Anything with a high price tag, will have a mandatory signature confirmation requirement & will come insured (reflected in shipping price).. If you're not home in the day & need this shipped where it can be signed for,please change that in your "Ship To" section before I create the shipping label***I'm sorry if this may be an inconvenience, but I do not ship expensive pieces without one. This is for your safety & mine

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PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING:

I do not consider myself a 'professional photographer" but I do try my hardest to give you photos that are 'realistic" in color. Please realize that all monitors are different, so the materials can look more vivid (or duller) from one computer to the next.

To give you close up photos,pictures tend to make the item look much more larger & everything is more magnified than in actuality. So to get an accurate idea of how big this is, please either check it out being worn to get a rough idea (see photos) or you can pull out a tape measure & compare to my given measurements above.