Dance Shell Pendant Necklace
Artist
Ely Montoya
Date2005
Mediumturquoise, spiny oyster, jet, shite shell, coral
Dimensions2 3/8 × 2 1/8 × 7/8 in. (6 × 5.4 × 2.2 cm)
ClassificationsJewelry & Adornment
Credit LineAlbuquerque Museum, gift of Eason Eige
Object numberPC2010.7.79
DescriptionA dance shell pendant necklace of turquoise, spiny oyster, jet, shite shell, and coral. A testament to the sophisticated tastes and resourcefulness of Santo Domingo artists, this shell pendant necklace by Ely Montoya harkens to deep-seated traditions among the Kewa of utilizing precious, far-flung materials for both adornment and ceremony. While turquoise has its origin in the present-day southwestern United States, spiny oyster, shite shell, and coral derive from Pacific Coast of Mexico and points south. For centuries, these shells have been some of the most esteemed materials among the cultures of New Mexico and beyond, and were valued nearly as highly as gold in the sixteenth century.On View
Not on view
