Zuni Pueblo Mosaic Inlay Sun Face Ring [R]

Zuni multicolor inlay is an extremely popular expression of Zuni art. The rainbow of colors used is derived from specially cut pieces of turquoise, coral, jet and mother-of-pearl (MOP). Each of these has meaning in the Zuni religion. Each color represents one of the cardinal directions.

A Zuni silversmith/lapidary artist fashioned this Sun Face ring by setting the stones in two different manners: stone-to-stone mosaic fashion for the face of the Sun Katsina and channel inlay for the feathers surrounding the face.

The face is mounted on a simple single silver wire shank that is attached to a silver plate supporting the stonework. The initials J H and an arrow pointing downward toward 7 o’clock are inscribed on the back of the face, but I have not determined who this artist might be.