This triple-strand vintage necklace is made in the classic jacla style. Crafted of shell heishi and turquoise slabs, with a pair of coordinating turquoise jaclas, tipped in heishi accents.
Jacla is the Navajo word for “ear string”; although the style is attributed to the Rio Grande Pueblo Indians, they were commonly traded among tribes and have been seen in vintage photos being worn by both men and women of many southwestern tribes. In the original style, the bottom loops of a jacla were a pair of “earrings” that are tied to the necklace; before ears were pierced and earrings were worn in the lobes, they were fashioned into long loops that were worn over the entire ear.