Description
Vintage Santo Domingo turquoise and shell Jaclas. Great with natural stones/shell from the third quarter of the 20th century, no damage or wear. 23 grams. Approx 5.5" long as shown in the pics.
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.
Jacla is Navajo for “ear string”. The Navajo spelling is the most commonly used version of the word. Jocla is also common but jackla is a phonetic mis-spelling. Although jaclas are attributed to the Rio Grande Pueblo Indians, they were traded with other tribes so have become associated with the Navajo as well. They are seen in vintage photos being worn by members of all southwest tribes, both men and women.
In the oldest style necklaces, the jacla is a pair of loop earrings tied onto the necklace.
