This turquoise heishi necklace features teardrop amber beads. Heishi is the oldest form of jewelry in North America. The word itself means shell, but describes a method of crafting that dates back 6000 BCE. It is attributed to the Kewa people, formerly known as the Santo Domingo Indians, one of the Rio Grande Pueblos in Northern New Mexico. Santo Domingo is located near the original Cerrillos turquoise mines, and the indigenous people of this tribe have been crafting jewelry with nearby turquoise for thousands of years. Cerillos is the oldest mine of any kind in North America, and this is the only turquoise that formed at the base of a volcano. The mineral-rich volcano rocks resulted in a huge variety of turquoise colors: seventy-five in total have been identified. Heishi jewelry is created by hand, which seems nearly impossible given the precision required to individually cut, shape, and string each tiny bead. It was the property of a prominent California collector. Measuring about 16. 25" in length, this necklace is the ideal "long choker" length, and is finished with a twist clasp in the back. It was the property of a prominent California collector.

Great vintage condition.