Turquoise, Water, Sky: Meaning and Beauty in Southwest Native Arts

by Maxine McBrinn

This book provides an overview of the uses of turquoise in native arts of the Southwest, beginning with the earliest people who mined and processed the stone for use in jewelry, on decorative objects, and as a powerful element in ceremony. In the past, as now, turquoise was valued for its color and beauty but also for its symbolic sky, water, health, protection, abundance. The book traces historical and contemporary jewelry made by Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, and Santo Domingo artisans, and the continuously inventive ways the stone has been worked.

172 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2015

Reviews

[Ladyknightstar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books features stunning and clear photographic examples of all styles of making turquoise from the Southwest. The styles of craftsmanship and tooling as they developed and how and why are explained and shown at length. "Cultural" turquoise -- made from glass, not the actual rock, is explained. The varieties of turquoise and how and why turquoise can change color are also explained. The pages are easy to flip through. A handy glossary is in the back of the book. Zuni (Pueblo) and Navajo meanings and symbols from turquoise are detailed. Healing cultural contexts are also discussed.