The Zuni Indians thought the blue turquoise was male and represented the sky while the green turquoise was female and represented the earth.
The Zuni were known for their fetishes – objects that were believed to have supernatural powers. Fetishes such as small animal carvings were often made of turquoise or used turquoise for eyes. The use of turquoise in ceremonies was very important to the Zuni.
The Rio Grande Pueblos thought that the turquoise color in the stone was stolen from the sky to put into the stone. Believing turquoise would bring good fortune, they decorated their most valuable idols with it. Many times, turquoise jewelry in created with a complimenting color such as red beads.
Zuni turquoise is one of the most sought after gemstones on the planet, and rightly so. Its beauty and unique characteristics make it one of the most treasured forms of turquoise in existence. Zuni turquoise is sourced and crafted into jewelry by the Zuni Indians.
The Zuni people have been creating jewelry with turquoise for years. Research suggests that the Zuni have resided in their current location for nearly 4,000 years. Below is a short history and description of Zuni turquoise, which is frequently found in Zuni turquoise jewelry.
Zuni Turquoise Formation
Zuni turquoise is created in much the same way that all other forms of turquoise are. The technical name for turquoise is hydrus copper aluminum phosphate. It is created when feldspar and apatite are combined with hot copper-dense lava that seeps up through the surface of the Earth. The lava releases phosphoric acid into the apatite, which then melts the aluminum in the feldspar and separates it from the rest of the material.
Then, the copper becomes infused with oxygen close to the surface of the Earth and combines with the phosphoric acid and aluminum in small crevices in the Earth. These crevices are usually not larger than an inch wide. Water and time are the final ingredients to this process, which eventually creates Zuni turquoise. Zuni turquoise is found close to the surface of the Earth, as is the case with all turquoise.
The Zuni were known for their fetishes – objects that were believed to have supernatural powers. Fetishes such as small animal carvings were often made of turquoise or used turquoise for eyes. The use of turquoise in ceremonies was very important to the Zuni.
The Rio Grande Pueblos thought that the turquoise color in the stone was stolen from the sky to put into the stone. Believing turquoise would bring good fortune, they decorated their most valuable idols with it. Many times, turquoise jewelry in created with a complimenting color such as red beads.
Zuni turquoise is one of the most sought after gemstones on the planet, and rightly so. Its beauty and unique characteristics make it one of the most treasured forms of turquoise in existence. Zuni turquoise is sourced and crafted into jewelry by the Zuni Indians.
The Zuni people have been creating jewelry with turquoise for years. Research suggests that the Zuni have resided in their current location for nearly 4,000 years. Below is a short history and description of Zuni turquoise, which is frequently found in Zuni turquoise jewelry.
Zuni Turquoise Formation
Zuni turquoise is created in much the same way that all other forms of turquoise are. The technical name for turquoise is hydrus copper aluminum phosphate. It is created when feldspar and apatite are combined with hot copper-dense lava that seeps up through the surface of the Earth. The lava releases phosphoric acid into the apatite, which then melts the aluminum in the feldspar and separates it from the rest of the material.
Then, the copper becomes infused with oxygen close to the surface of the Earth and combines with the phosphoric acid and aluminum in small crevices in the Earth. These crevices are usually not larger than an inch wide. Water and time are the final ingredients to this process, which eventually creates Zuni turquoise. Zuni turquoise is found close to the surface of the Earth, as is the case with all turquoise.
Very informative...I will be posting this on our program site Heart of Hutchison
Thank you for the insight.