Native American Navajo Pueblo Double Strand Jocla Necklace Green Turquoise Coral

  

This is Antique Native American Navajo Pueblo double strand green turquoise bead. A traditional Pueblo jewelry adornment, a jacla is two loops of heishi that were originally earrings and sometimes fastened to the bottom of a stone necklace as a pendant-like attachment.

They are seen in vintage photos being worn by members of all southwest tribes, both men and women. The two loops would be removed from the necklace and used as earrings. This is how the jacla originated. The jacla might match the necklace it is attached to or be of contrasting heishi.

Most jaclas have tabular pieces in the bottom center that are called "corn". They are most often made from white or orange (spiny oyster) shell or coral. According to Mark Bahti, author of Collecting Southwestern Native American jewelery, jaclas with spiny oyster shell corn are rarely seen and highly prized by many Indians.

The tips of the jacla loops are traditionally finished off with coral, a contrasting shell or trade beads, often red. This Jacla feature shell "corn" and are finished at the top by red coral beads. These hang 6" long so each one is 12" of Genuine green turquoise beads. The last picture is how these were used as a Pendants.