A far departure from other tribes, the Hopi take a different approach when making their art and jewelry. Their craft focuses primarily on the silver itself, using the inlay technique that produces a striking image clearly on the silver.
Many tribes feature imagery and symbolism in their art. These symbols often translate to important cultural beliefs. Take, for example, the corn stalk. This was one of the most valuable crops in Native American trade and symbolized abundance and prosperity in the land.
Hopi silver bracelets, using the corn stalk symbol, would bring good fortune and abundance to the wearer from their set of beliefs. There are also variations to these symbols, such as the corn maze, which is used to represent the many twists and turns of life. By adding these symbols into their silver, they give the piece even greater meaning in the process.
The inlay process itself involves working differently colored material into the silver during the metalwork process to make these symbols and patterns appear in a clear and precise way. In this way, you will usually see silver with a black image or pattern.
The Zuni have mastered this technique since learning it in the 19th century from the Navajo, who learned it from the Spanish first.
However, the Zuni have really made the silversmith technique their own and given a certain flair to their pieces that are easily recognized.
When looking into Hopi silver bracelets, you should look for a piece that is completely inlaid silver with a traditional Native American pattern set into the piece. This is a clear distinction between other tribes that will feature Southwestern stones like turquoise so Hopi pieces are fairly simple to identify.
Hopi artists are renowned silversmiths so look for quality silver when you shop for Hopi silver bracelets.