Snow
Heart 
Begay Badger Fetish Carving
The
Badger is one of the guardian animals
of the Six Directions.
Badgers do not hibernate in the winter, but instead enter a state of torpor where they live off the fat they stored in their bodies over the abundant summer.
This Badger is exceptionally carved with fabulous form and detail of the hair coat.
The white tones of this piece of Alabaster.....could this badger have rolled in the snow for camouflage?
Snow Heart - Navajo Badger Carving
$50 plus s/h
Material | Alabaster,
Turquoise |
Length |
2 1/2" |
Width |
1 1/4" |
Height | 1"
|
Hallmarks | A
B |
Artist | Alex
Begay, Navajo |
There
is an inlaid Turquoise Heart Line from his mouth to his heart.
He
is looking intently, very alert.
He has beautiful turquoise inlaid eyes.
He would make an idea Six Directions or Pocket Fetish.
Alex Begay is one of the most in-demand Navajo fetish carvers. We were lucky to get two of his badgers.
What is a Fetish?
A fetish is a rock carving of an animal that captures the spirit and the essence of the animal, not necessarily its exact detailed conformation. Although carved from many types of rock, fishrock is traditional. Read more about fetishes.
Alabaster. Also call gypsum, alabaster is a fine-grained, calcium-rich white mineral that looks somewhat like white marble. It has historically been quarried in England and Italy but there are fine Alabaster quarries in Colorado as well. Read more about stones.