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Britannica Sources used in this answer

Where did the Navajo tradition of silver jewelry likely originate?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Map showing the distribution of Indigenous peoples and their lands in the American Southwest, with labeled areas for groups such as the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Apache, Pima, Yuma, Mojave, and others, along with major rivers and reservation boundaries.
Indigenous peoples of the American Southwest

The Navajo tradition of silverwork originated in 1853, when the craft was introduced to the Navajo by Mexican smiths.12

While the technical origin of the craft is Mexican, the Navajo developed the skill with great ability, incorporating and reworking motifs of Spanish American origin into their own traditional style. Additionally, some specific ornament types and decorative modes found in Navajo silverwork are believed to trace back to earlier silverworking traditions among Indigenous peoples in the eastern woodlands, the plains, and the Rocky Mountains.21