Perry Null Trading

If you are a collector of Zuni fetishes you may have a lizard in your collection. Fetishes are an important part of Zuni culture and represent the spirit that is believed to reside within the stone. What is the lizard Zuni Fetish Meaning? It can represent agility and conversation.

Animals such as beaver, lizards and horned toads, while often part of Zuni mythology, are not generally "fetish" animals in the same sense that other animals that are considered prey gods (wolf, mountain lion,eagle, mole, etc) or protection gods (wolf, badger, mole, bear, etc) are, or animals that represent healing or fertility. Their images are not usually kept to provide a specific benefit or blessing to their owner.

Drive through the Four Corners area and you are likely to see mule deer, elk and antelope. Did you know that deer antler color can vary depending on the location the deer was harvested from? Variations are usually the result of the amount of oxidized blood left over from velvet shedding and the type of plant the buck uses to help shed it's velvet. The chemical reaction between the blood and sap present in the tree or bush used to rub the antlers can sometimes lead to interesting color variations.

Jet is a beautiful black mineraloid. It's not a true mineral because it is made from organic material - decaying wood under intense pressure. Jet is found in the Four Corners area near the Acoma PuebloIt has been prized for centuries, the Romans used it believing it to have healing properties. It was especially popular during the reign of Queen Victoria in England who began wearing it as "mourning jewelry."

Apple coral is part of the species of corals known as melithaea sponge, which is commonly found on the ocean floors around the waters of Taiwan, Indonesia and southern China. Some varieties of coral have been banned from mining and collecting due to the destruction of corral reefs around the world. Apple corral is not, however, included in this ban. Currently, this variety of corral is not endangered and environment-conscious jewelers and retailers have turned to it in leu of other endangered varieties. With continued global warming and the death of corral reefs this may change and apple corral may no longer be available.

Alabaster is a fine-grained translucent form of gypsum that is typically white. Although white can be most common, the mineral can come with shades of red and orange. Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material, gypsum and calcite. In general, but not always, ancient stones in Egypt and the Near & Middle East are calcite, and in medieval Europe are gypsum. Modern stones are probably calcite, but may be either. Both are easy to 'work' and as both are slightly water-soluble, have been used for making a variety of indoor artworks and carvings, as they will not survive long outdoors.

For the past two centuries across the American southwest, in silent ruins and cave shelters, archaeologists have unearthed 1000 year old carved Zuni fetishes: duck-like birds of chalk turquoise, a frog of polished jet, birds of hematite, aragonite and tiny, turquoise tadpoles to name a few. Many of these items have holes drilled in them, possibly for cords to suspend about the neck. What did these objects signify and how were they used? For answers to these questions one must look to the modern day Zuni, the Native American tribe most noted for their fine, carved Zuni fetishes.

In Zuni culture a fetish represents the animal spirit thought to reside in the stone. It is believed that fetishes require a meal of cornmeal and ground turquoise occasionally.. Fetishes may be kept in a clay pot as it is the tradition. However, collectors usually like to keep theirs somewhere where they can be admired and enjoyed. If you add an owl to your collection you may be wondering what it represents and why it is significant. What is the Owl Zuni Fetish Meaning?

Travel around the Southwest and you will see a variety of landscapes from brilliant red mesas, to dense mountain forests to rugged deserts. It is in this rugged terrain we find this stunning marble, a common stone used in Zuni fetish carvings. Picasso marble, also called Picasso jasper, is mined in the Four Corners area in the Star and Frisco mining areas west of Milford, Utah.

Onyx is a mineral like marble or granite. It is a form of chalcedony, and as such is part of the quartz group. Like the other stones in the chalcedony family, this material has a smooth, waxy luster. It can be found in a wide range of colors (white, reddish brown, brown and banded), often in contrasting layers. You often see the mineral in black and white parallel layers or in brown and white layers called sardonyx. You can see such layering in the armadillo fetish below that is carved by Abby Quam and Clayton Panteah.

What is the Spider Zuni Fetish Meaning? Fetishes play an important role in Zuni culture. Whether you are a collector of fetishes, or wanting to simply understand the culture better, you may wonder what certain fetishes mean. In this case, let's discuss the Spider. Generally the Spider represents creativity and is considered the weaver of the fabric of life. It is not a traditional Zuni fetish but may have gained popularity through trade with other tribes and the demands of collectors.

If you collect Zuni fetishes, you may have a rabbit in your collection. Rabbits are not, however, traditional fetishes in Zuni culture. They have become popular through trade with other tribes and requests of collectors. In Zuni culture a fetish represents the animal spirit thought to reside in the stone. What is the Rabbit Zuni Fetish meaning? Because the rabbit is usually prey for other animals it may represents facing one's fears. Rabbits are also known for their abundant procreation and therefore can be associated with fertility and birthing.

If you have a collection of Zuni fetishes including sheep or a ram you may be curious what it means. What is the Sheep Ram Zuni Fetish Meaning? A sheep, mountain goat, big horned sheep or ram is used to increase the size of a herd. These also represent a sense of self-worth.