Green Cerillos Turquoise with Spiny Oyster Shell Jacla Necklace Santo Domingo

Our Six Strand Green Cerrillos Turquoise with Spiny Oyster Shell and Baby Olive Heishi Necklace is a soulful expression of Pueblo artistry, where color, material, and tradition come together in layered harmony. The six flowing strands are composed of green Cerrillos turquoise, sourced from one of New Mexico’s oldest and most storied mining regions. Revered for its earthy green tones and natural matrix, Cerrillos turquoise has long been associated with grounding, protection, and a deep connection to the land. Today, as turquoise becomes increasingly difficult to obtain due to mine closures and dwindling supplies, pieces like this carry even greater significance.

Interwoven throughout the strands are vibrant accents of spiny oyster shell and soft baby olive heishi, each chosen with intention and respect for tradition. Spiny oyster shell, harvested from the Sea of Cortez, has been used for generations in Pueblo jewelry for its fiery orange hue and its symbolic association with vitality, creativity, and life force. The baby olive heishi brings a gentle, organic balance, grounding the palette and adding warmth and subtle depth to the composition.

This necklace is crafted using traditional heishi techniques, a practice passed down through Santo Domingo Pueblo families for centuries. Heishi beads, small, carefully shaped discs, require extraordinary patience and precision, each one shaped to honor the natural material. Strung on traditional waxed cording and finished with a hand-tied closure, the necklace drapes fluidly, moving beautifully with the body and carrying the unmistakable presence of true handwork.

Handcrafted by a young female Pueblo artisan, the granddaughter of one of our most celebrated makers, this necklace embodies both heritage and future. Raised within the rhythms of traditional jewelry-making, she learned by watching her elders, absorbing knowledge passed quietly from generation to generation. In her hands, ancestral wisdom meets fresh vision, ensuring these traditions remain alive and evolving. Worn long, knotted, or layered, this necklace is more than adornment, it is a story of land, lineage, resilience, and living tradition.

Length including the jacla: 19"

Weight: 6.7 oz / 190gr

Number of strands: 6

Bead size: 5.5mm

Made in USA