What does Coral mean in Native American?
Coral’s red color has important symbolic meaning in the Native American culture. It represents, for example, heat or fire, representing the spirit within, energy, and power.
Is red coral jewelry expensive?
While red coral is by no means the most expensive of gemstones, it is not something you see with inexpensive casual jewelry. You will find that most Mediterranean red coral jewelry is on par with the all of the best high-end gemstone jewelry, both in price and beauty.
Is red coral jewelry legal?
As long as there is a demand for red corals and the import of red corals is unregulated, there will be excessive, unselective and illegal harvesting. This could lead to the inability of the red corals to recover and an end to the supply for the jewelry trade forever (not to mention to the world of medicine).
What is a Native American necklace called?
Squash Blossom Necklace
One of the most important forms of Navajo and Southwestern Native American jewelry, is the Squash Blossom Necklace. Most are made of a string of plain round silver beads, interspersed with more stylized “squash blossoms”, and feature a pendant, or “naja”, hung from the center of the strand.
What is the spiritual meaning of red coral?
With its fiery red energy, Red Coral provides strength, willpower and motivation. Connected to our Root Chakra, Red Coral stimulates our energy enabling us to reach our goals.
Where did Native Americans get red coral?
Coral was first introduced to Southwestern tribes such as the Navajo, Zuni and Hopi by Spanish and European traders, who had a steady supply of coral mined from Mediterranean coastlines. The coral came in many shades, from deep red to orange and even white.
How can you tell if its real coral?
Real coral beads have a smooth surface, even under strong magnification. The same applies to corals with visible dents or holes on the surface. When holding your beads, you should notice they are smooth to the touch. Take your bead in your hand and tap on it with your fingernail.
How can you tell if red coral is real?
Real red coral (Original Moonga Stone) has a distinctive visible texture, similar to wood grain, which you can see through a magnifying glass. The most common imitators, such as hard plastic, glass or even bones and shells, do not have this texture. Milk test: Put the coral in a glass of milk.
Why is red coral so expensive?
The price of precious Mediterranean red coral jewelry is soaring under unprecedented Chinese demand. But overfishing and environmental changes have placed the prized scarlet species in a vulnerable state.
Is it OK to wear Native American jewelry?
In short, wearing Native patterns or jewelry is fine as long as you bought them from an actual Native designer. Art fairs, like the Native Art Market at the National Museum of the American Indian this weekend, are a perfect place to find genuine Native designs and meet the artists behind them.