Red Coral Necklace

Sterling Silver, handmade 26″ s/s chain, Jacla is 6.5″ long

Three Strands of raw Mediterranean red coral with Kingman Turquoise mixed throughout. Each stone and coral in this necklace has been hand cut by Rodney Cortiz

The Red Mediterranean coral is a collection of hundreds of tiny animals living together in colonies that resemble small leafless bushes growing on dark, rocky sea bottoms from 100 to 400 feet down. Southwest Native Americans first began using red coral in the 1930s. The original species I
found mainly in the Mediterranean Sea. Due to over harvesting, restrictions have been placed on the amount that can be removed each year.

The Kingman turquoise mine is located about 14 miles Northwest of Kingman, AZ. It was first mined by the Hohokam Indians 1,400 years ago. It is one of 3 sites of prehistoric mining located in the state of Arizona and this was the most extensively worked of the three. This mine began to be commercially worked in the 1880s as a copper mine. It produces a wide variety of colors of turquoise from pure blue to green with a brown or black matrix.

Handcrafted by Kewa Artist:

Rodney Cortiz

Rodney is a talented young artist from the Santo Domingo Pueblo (Kewa) known for his ability to make stunning wearable art that compliments modern fashion, while keeping the traditional ways of the Santo Domingo Pueblo Style. He has deep respect for his culture and surrounds his life with the ways of his people, by believing in and carrying on their traditions. Rodney was inspired to make jewelry by his mother, Nestoria Coriz, and his grandfather, Lupe Pena. 

Traditionally jewelry was always handmade, even the tools they used were hand crafted, every stone and shell was ground down by solid rocks before modern tools were created. Rodney started creating art from seashells and stones, learning from his Grandfather Lupe Pena’s ways. Soon wanted to learn more modern style and took metal smithing classes at the Poeh Cultural Center in 2002. Since then he has become an exceptional award winning artist  who has shown his works at many museums, including the Heard and The Millicent Rogers Museum. Rodney Coriz is also featured in books “American Indian Jewelry II” and Masters of Contemporary Indian Jewelry” Fine Native American Jewelry makers are strong in the Coriz family.Daniel, Rodney and Simon are all following in their parents and grandparents tradition, keeping the Native art alive. Rodney Coriz Hallmark is signed in full: Rodney Coriz, a sun and a copyright symbol.