Spot
Yazzie
Turtle Fetish Carving
This large wonderful turtle is full of intricate detail.
Carved from Jet, Mother of Pearl, and Coral.
The shell and legs have carved texture lines.
Carved
and signed by Navajo artist
David Yazzie.
Spot - Navajo Turtle Carving
$50 SOLD
Material | Jet,
Mother of Pearl, Coral |
Length |
3" |
Width | 1
3/4 " |
Height | 7/8"
|
Hallmarks | D
J Y |
Artist | David
Yazzie, Navajo |
The eyes are inlaid Mother of Pearl.
In addition the shell is inlayed with 10 Mother of Pearl and Coral spots.
Frog and turtles have appeared in carved jewelry since prehistoric times. Considered the major rain-bringing fetish, the frog is also associated with abundance and fertility.
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.
Jet (Acoma Jet) is a solid black type of lignite coal that is mined around the Acoma Pueblo region, thus the name Acoma Jet, or Jet for short. It is very popular for carving fetishes. It is also used for inlaying but usually not used in stone sets. Read more about stones.