Santo Domingo (Kewa) Depression Era Necklace 27″ L

Santo Domingo Pueblo (Kewa), New Mexico, Depression Era necklace, circa 1930s. The Pueblo is located about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

This exceptional necklace is made of a generous amount of Cerrillos turquoise, white and red plastic, comb teeth in the tail and a battery casing base. It is finished with old sterling silver “bench” beads (where the maker formed two circular halves and soldered them together to create a bead). It is strung with gypsum beads, the material of which came from what was at that time an operating gypsum mine. It is in excellent condition relative to its age.

Depression Era necklaces were made with mostly found materials, sourced at the local dump: old napkin holders, flatware handles, old car batteries, combs, 78 rpm records, etc. They replaced the real stones a jeweler would have used in better times with what was available. The Santo Domingo people were resourceful and incorporated non-traditional materials to create jewelry art.

The Cerrillos turquoise mine is located not too far from the Pueblo as is the former gypsum mine.

Please note: On some devices, the black shows as blue.