Discovering unique handmade jewelry, precious items crafted as a work of art and a labor of love, can make shopping in foreign markets truly an adventure. Silver jewelry inlaid with semiprecious stones and conch shells is an interplay of color, pattern and history. Common design motifs incorporated into many of the silver pendants are ancient Incan calendar symbols.
Inlaid Silver Jewelry with Incan Symbols
The Incan cross, the Chakana
The most common Incan symbol incorporated into the jewelry is the Chakana, a three stepped cross with a hole in the center. The three steps represent the three worlds, i.e, the heavenly realm of the spirit, the human realm and the underworld and death. Three other Incan concepts represented by the Chakana are the 3 realities of Love, Knowledge and Work. For an in depth article on the Chankana see the page by Ren Chin at hubpages.
Sun, moon and stars, animals, spirals, geometrics of ancient design will all be found incorporated into these beautiful objects.
Silver Pendants in Vertical Format
Silver Earrings
Animals are another common theme: llamas, turtles, hummingbirds, butterflies
Silver Chains, earrings. Turquoise is popular.
More variety in silver jewelry
Leaves are a common design motif in Ecuadorian jewelry
Inlay silver jewelry close up
Inlay silver rings
