The “Squash Blossom” Necklace

A typical item of American Indian jewelry is the “squash blossom” necklace. Attached to certain ones of its beads are petallike pieces of silver that curve up and out to resemble flowers. The origin of this design evidently goes back to Spanish conquistadores who visited this area centuries ago. As ornaments for trousers and jackets, the Spaniards used silver representations of pomegranates. Indians, who knew nothing about pomegranates, saw in the decoration a resemblance to the squash blossom and thereafter called it by that name.

A prominent feature of the squash blossom necklace is its horseshoe- or crescent-shaped pendant. The Navajo name for this is naja, their word for “crescent.” At times representations of hands appear at the ends of the horseshoe.

Many believe that the crescent too came to the Navajo from the Spaniards, though it has roots much farther back in history. Notes the book The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths: “This emblem was old when Columbus crossed the ocean to the new world. . . . In short, it was an Old World amulet fastened to horse trappings, preferably the bridle, to ward off the evil eye from the animal.”

Does this necklace with its naja have religious significance in modern times? Opinions differ. Certain persons believe that it symbolizes fertility. Another opinion has it that “bad luck” flees out of the ends of the crescent. Some view the hands that occasionally appear at the ends of a naja as indicating that the object can protect its possessor. All in all, though, these are merely private opinions of individuals. Today, general agreement is lacking as to religious significance for the squash blossom necklace.

What about the crescent? It is true that in ancient times crescents were used as amulets to ward off the “evil eye” and perhaps as symbols of fertility. Concerning the crescent in general, however, a recognized expert on Indian arts and crafts writes:

“It appears today in the southwest in a great variety of forms but it is not regarded as a charm or amulet. The widely circulated stories which describe the naja and the squash blossom necklace as symbols of fertility are products of the white man’s imagination and have no basis in Indian legends, beliefs or customs.”​—Southwestern Indian Arts and Crafts, by Tom Bahti.

The handcrafted jewelry of American Indians is indeed artistic and beautiful. However, while much of it has no relationship to non-Biblical worship, in certain areas some of it is used in such worship. So, when deciding on the appropriateness of owning pieces of this jewelry, Christians must be guided by their own Bible-trained consciences.​—Rom. 14:2-4.