Description
Much like the people in early Europe, early Chickasaws wore Gorgets as a symbol of rank and status. For everyday attire, simple gourd or stone Gorgets were worn. For special occasions or religious ceremonies, a person would wear their finest regalia. Gorgets told a lot about a person’s status. Most wore common gourd necklaces. Shell necklaces, especially ocean shells, and copper were reserved for high ranking people. As British Empire officers awarded Gorgets to chiefs of Native American tribes as tokens of goodwill and symbols of high status, the gourd and shell Gorget lost popularity and metal Gorgets became predominant among Native American Tribes.
Few people know that the Gorget started off in the Middle Ages as a women’s fashion piece before it became a steel collar to protect men’s throats and eventually a full piece of armor to protect the upper chest and throat. I’m bringing the Gorget full circle and making it a fashion piece once again. This copper and sterling silver Gorget inspired necklace showcases a hand forged copper Gorget, with hand-hammered textured edge, hand-hammered serpentine textured, sterling silver graduated “fringe” along the bottom, and hangs on a sterling silver chain. This stunning, statement piece will speak volumes about your rank and status!
MEASUREMENTS:
- Copper Gorget: 2-3/4″ long x 1/2″ wide
- Sterling Silver “Fringe”: Ranging from 3/4″ to 1-1/4″ long x 3/16″ wide
- Sterling Silver Chain: 16″ with 2″ extension
© All my jewelry is my own original design and hand crafted by me in California, USA. I am a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a certified Cherokee artist with TERO certifications as a bench jeweler, metalsmith, silversmith, blacksmith, and lapidary.
