Pottery - 5 x 5.5 in.

The silver overlay masters of the Arizona mesas — luminous two-tone silver carrying clan symbols, kachina forms, and the imagery of Hopi life.

The motifs in Hopi overlay are not decorative inventions; they are drawn from a living ceremonial and clan system. Kachina imagery, water and corn symbols, and clan emblems reference the spiritual relationships and responsibilities at the center of Hopi life, which remains organized around the ceremonial calendar, the kiva, and the agricultural cycle of the mesas. Out of respect, the most sacred imagery stays within ceremony and is not rendered for sale, and Hopi artists are deliberate about the line between what may be shared and what may not. The post-war creation of the Hopi style was, in part, an act of cultural self-determination — a conscious choice, supported by Hopi leaders and artists, to define Hopi identity in silver on Hopi terms rather than in borrowed forms. That spirit continues in the guild tradition and in the family workshops scattered across First, Second, and Third Mesa today. Humiovi presents Hopi overlay with awareness of its symbolic weight, honoring both the artisans and the boundaries the Hopi themselves draw around their sacred imagery. This care extends to the marketplace: Hopi artists and the guild have long worked to ensure that genuine Hopi makers, rather than imitators, receive the recognition and livelihood their work earns. To choose authentic Hopi silver is, in a real and practical sense, to support that self-determination and the families who sustain the craft.

Cared for thoughtfully, a handcrafted piece is meant to last generations. A few essentials for this one:

• Last on, first off

  Put your piece on after fragrance, lotion, and hairspray — and take it off before water, sleep, and sport.

• Store with care

  Keep each piece in its own soft pouch, away from direct sun and damp, so softer stones never meet harder ones.