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In early May 2006 we had a most pleasant initial contact with James and Doris Coriz. This husband and wife duo from Santa Domingo Pueblo makes very traditional jewelry in the Santo Domingo style consisting of turquoise and shell prepared by hand. They use the best stabilized Kingman turquoise and carefully selected shells which yield products which are characterized by perfect execution made from superior materials. We are delighted to have established this new source of classic Santo Domingo jewelry made in the old way.
This is a classic jocla necklace made of hand-turned beads of Kingman turquoise, rolled (rounded edges) handmade beads of white mussel shell and hand-cut accent beads of branch red coral. The upper necklace portion consists of two strands with the graduated disk beads of Kingman growing fatter as they approach the runs of gleaming beads of white mussel. Rich though this necklace is with all its beads, it is not a heavy piece; you won't feel like you're wearing chain mail. In fact, the beads of the upper necklace portion hug the body and the trailing loops of beads anchor this necklace and enhance the sense that it is hugging you. Consider that the length of the top portion of the necklace is twenty-three inches; a mid-length necklace by all measure of comparison. While the loops form softly swaying pendants, the relative shortness of the necklace portion stabilizes this piece and prevents this necklace from moving or swinging uncomfortably with movements of the body.
The story of the jocla necklace is an interesting one. It's said that originally this was a necklace with large, dangling looped earrings of turquoise to match the necklace. When the women would wash clothing or grind corn at the metate, the earrings would swing with the movement of the work. This was uncomfortable, so the earrings would be removed and attached to the front of the necklace while working. Eventually, the hanging loops of earrings were stylistically incorporated in the initial stringing of the necklaces.
The turquiose beads were cut, drilled and hand-turned from a large rock of stabilized Kingman turquoise. The continuity of color across the strands shows that these beads were made all at one time from the same rock. The white beads were hand-cut and turned and fashioned with a rounded edge; what's commonly referred to as "rolled" beads. hand-cut branch coral beads add further color accent. Adding up all the strands of turquoise and white mussel beads (and excluding the coral and Sterling catch) there are sixty-four inches of handmade beads in this piece. Making all these beads was a labor of love and fortitude. This is, of course, strung on traditional beading string.
Kingman disk beads: 3/16" to 3/8" diameter; 1/16" to 1/8" running length
Rolled beads of white mussel: 7/16" diameter; 3/32" running length
Length of upper necklace portion: 23"
Length of free-hanging loops: 6"
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