Mary Cayatineto' Navajo "Yei" Naja with Kingman, Arizona turquoise and solid Sterling box chain. #2449a

"Yei" is short for Yeibichai—meaning "Holy People."  It's said the Yei mediates between humans and the Great Spirit.  Long ago, Yei figures were depicted only in sand paintings done on the ground during sacred ceremonies and wiped-away afterward.  Later, when the Yei began appearing in hand-woven Navajo rugs—and eventually in jewelry—the elders were concerned about the symbol moving from sacred ritual to commercialization.  But alas, the Yei 'was out of the box' forever.  The Naja is the end-piece of a squash-blossom necklace, but is often worn by itself as well.  People err in calling it a 'horseshoe'—which it is not.  The story I've been told for decades is that the rainbow shape forms a perimeter, keeping evil away from the wearer's center core, while the small opening at the bottom allows for goodness to come up and into one's center being.  This nice Cayatineto piece represents all the above extremely well.  She cast the Sterling nicely and added just enough eye-color with the colorful Kingman, Arizona turquoise, and the two small Kingman turquoise pieces.  The ornate, hand-stamped bale will accommodate beads up to 5/8th's-inches in diameter!  Not counting that bale, the Naja is two-inches tall.  It is 2.25-inches across and weighs 32-grams, or 1.13-ounces.  Hallmarked "MC.'  An 18 or a 20-inch solid Sterling silver box chain is included in the price.  Complimentary USPS tracked Priority shipping within the U.S.