This is an exceptional vintage Navajo large silver kachina pendant all silver necklace. This remarkable necklace is so unique as it consists of a wonderful all silver Balinese sterling silver chain Resting at the bottom is a phenomenal very large hand carved silver kachina pendant that measures a whopping 5"inches tall with bale by 2-1/2". Wide Located on the pendant are two marvelous sleeping beauty turquoises stones from the sleeping beauty turquoise mine. The accenting silver works located throughout the pendant consist of intertwining patterns, ropes, raindrops, shells and sun bursting patterns. The intricacy of this necklace is so beautiful and rare.
The length of the necklace measures around 18¾ total 112.6 grams! Kachinas are holy spirits that live upon the San Francisco Peaks in Arizona and other sacred mountains in the Southwest. During the period beginning with the Winter Solstice and extending to about mid-July, masked dancers initiated into the various clans of the Hopi Pueblos impersonate these spirits.
The Sleeping Beauty Turquoise mine is located near Globe, Arizona. Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is known for its solid sky blue color and lack of host rock matrix.
However, natural Sleeping Beauty turquoise can come in a variety of shades and even include a dark host rock and pyrite. This mine skyrocketed to popularity in the 1970s and has become one of the most famous turquoise mines in the Southwest. The pale, clear blue colors offered by the Sleeping Beauty mine have become a staple in Native American jewelry.
The mine claim is named after a nearby mountain, which resembles a woman sleeping on her back. Like many of the older Turquoise mines, the claim was originally for producing copper and gold. Due to rising costs to access the turquoise deposit, the Sleeping Beauty mine was closed around 2012. All Sleeping Beauty turquoise that you see available on the market was mined prior to this date.