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Sterling Silver First Phase Style Concha Belt by Austin Wilson - C3776ZB
It has been postulated that the Navajo concha/concho belt had its origin among the Plains Indians, not as a belt, but, rather, as a hair drop. Plains Indian braves wore silver discs, usually made of German silver, strapped on a piece of rawhide and hung from their hair and down their backs. It was from these hair drops of round discs that the Navajo got the idea to make conchas of similar shape but to string them on leather and wear them as belts.
The earliest concha belts were made around 1868 after the captured Navajo were allowed to leave Bosque Redondo and return to a portion of their former location. These first ones were generally made from coin silver, were round and had a diamond-shaped hole cut in the center through which the belt was laced and was visible. These have been referred to as First Phase Concha Belts and that period lasted until around 1900. Subsequent designs and shapes followed this first phase.