Man in the Maze Belt Buckle by Rick Manual [SOLD]

This silver belt buckle was made by Tohono O'odham (Papago) artist Rick Manuel. The buckle itself is oval-shaped, and the design set within it—the Man in the Maze motif—is circular. It is an appealing and well crafted example of overlay jewelry.

The back of the buckle is marked with Manuel's signature mountain hallmark.

The Man in the Maze motif appears frequently in the art of the American Southwest, most prominently in the art of Tohono O'odham and Akimel O'odham. According to O'odham oral history, the labyrinth design represents life. At the beginning of life's maze is birth. After we are born, we embark on a journey towards the center of the maze or the sun, which represents our dreams and aspirations. Along this journey we are met with problems and must make decisions. The maze depicts the path of the experiences and choices individuals make in their journey through life moving towards the center. In the middle of the "maze," a person finds their dreams and goals. When one reaches the center, the individual has a final opportunity—the last turn in the design—to look back upon choices made and the path taken, before the Sun God greets us, blesses us, and passes us into the next world.

Rick Manuel was born in Sacaton, Arizona, in 1950. He grew up on the Tohono O'odham reservation in the Santa Rosa Village. He is registered with Gila River Pima through his mother and with the Tohono O'odham through his father. He is a self-taught artist. He began his silversmithing career in the 1970s. He uses the overlay technique usually associated with Hopi work. His designs often include desert scenes and petroglyph designs, and he occasionally collaborates with his wife Frances.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Man in the Maze Belt Buckle by Rick Manual is from a private collection, originally purchased around 1985 in Tucson, Arizona

Reference: American Indian Jewelry III: M-Z, 2100 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo, jewelry, Tohono O’odham Nation, Rick Manuel