Albuquerque, New Mexico
Southwest / Navajo / Rayna Platero Secatero

Silver, Turquoise
ca. 1970s
Length: 19.25 in x 2 = 38.5 inches
Other – Regalia – Necklace

Engraved on back: RPS – According to Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery it possibly stands for ‘Rayna Platero Secatero.’  This Navajo silversmith is cited in Barton Wright’s book, Hallmarks of the Southwest. Secatero was known to have worked in the shops in Albuquerque, NM between 1978 and 1979.

A rare Native American Squash Blossom Silver and Turquoise Necklace with the highest quality of turquoise stones. This Squash Blossom Silver and Turquoise Necklace was worn by the Chief of the Seminole Indians Joe Dan Osceola.  It comes with C.O.A. and is a very large necklace that has been X-ray silver tested.

The impressive centerpiece of the squash blossom design with a horseshoe-like pendant at the bottom, known as the Naja symbol, is said to have originated in the Middle East, where the Moors brought horseshoe shaped jewelry with them as a ward against the evil eye into Spain. From here, the Spanish conquistadors brought the symbol to the Navajo, who adopted it.  During the intermingling of cultures in the area during the 1860s and 1870s Navajo artisans learned silversmithing from Hispanic artists in New Mexico. The creativity and innovation of those early Navajo silversmiths soon lent itself to many forms and styles of jewelry.  At first, they would melt down any kind of silver they could find including Mexican pesos or US dollars. By the 1890s, turquoise was used, and the style spread to many tribes.  The Zuni craftspeople added the familiar turquoise inlay pattern we see on this necklace.

Resource: https://windriversf.com/blogs/news/the-myth-of-the-squash-blossom-the-captivating-style-that-captures-the-heart-and-the-history-of-the-southwest