Concho Belt
Diné (Navajo)
1880s
Medium
Silver and leather
Dimensions
Approx. l: H.: 91.4 cm (36 in.)
Classification
belts (costume accessory)
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
180496
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
During the 1860s and early 1870s, Navajos (Diné) learned silversmithing from Hispanic artisans in New Mexico, and Plains Indian craftsmen whose own metalwork stemmed from Colonial sources in the eastern United States. Mexican pesos, U.S. American dollars, and ingot silver were melted down and recast in molds carved from soft volcanic tufa. Navajo silversmiths employed steel tools and punches to develop decorative patterns. Early concho belts, bow guards, bracelets, necklaces, horse headstalls, a...