While it is today most widely associated with Christianity, the Cross is a far more ancient symbol that predates the time of Christ by millennia and is found all over the world. It heavily features in the designs of Native American jewelry of the southwest, particularly in Native American necklaces, pendants, and earrings handcrafted by the Navajo and the Zuni.
The Symbolism of the Cross Through History
· The cross is an ancient symbol with Pagan origins and it originated in the ancient Babylonian region of Chaldea. It was used by the Chaldeans and other nearby regions (including Egypt) to symbolise the god Tammuz. In ancient Babylon and Persia, the cross also symbolised the connection between Heaven and Earth.
· In ancient Egypt, the ankh (cross with a loop at its top) was prominent, often seen in hieroglyphs and depictions of pharaohs, and it represented life and immortality.
· In ancient India, the cross symbolised the god Agni, who was a divine representation of light and fire.
· In ancient Greece and Rome, crosses were used both decoratively and as protective talismans to ward off evil spirits.
· Before Roman Emperor Constantine decriminalized Christianity between AD 313 and 325, the cross was not used by the Christian church at all as it was historically a means to execute Christians (it was also an idol, forbidden by the Bible). At this time, corrupt Roman Catholic leaders sought to evangelise Pagans into the church and pagan symbols, festivals, and idealogy were accepted and incorporated into Christian practices. Crosses were seen as one bridge between established paganism and Christianity. They were first placed in churches in AD 431 and on church steeples in AD 568.
The Cross in Native American Culture
Before European contact, the Aztecs, Mayans, and other Native American cultures commonly used the cross symbol.
The Mississippian culture was a group of Native American societies that flourished between AD 800-1550; these people were the ancestors of many tribes including the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Missoura, Osage, Seminole, and numerous others. These people were sun worshippers who also had a culture strongly based on warfare. The cross features heavily on Mississippian artifacts including weapons, pottery, and stone tools; it is believed to have represented the worldview of the division and order between the Underworld, Earth (Middleworld) and Heaven (Upperworld).
The cross is also used in Lakota (Sioux) culture, representing the four directions and the four winds. A cross within a circle, and it uses color – the west is black (thunder and rain), the north is red (trials and hardship), the east is yellow (rising sun), and the south is white (warmth and growth).
The Solar Cross
The solar cross is a Hopi symbol also depicting a cross within a circle. Also called the Cosmic Cross, this represents the World and the four elements (earth, fire, air, water), with the four bars of the cross depicting north, south, east and west.
The Pueblo Cross
The Pueblo Cross is a double-bar cross design; it’s also known as the Isleta design. To the Pueblo people, it is traditionally used to represent the dragonfly.
Cross Jewelry at Indian Traders
Christianity (specifically, Catholicism) came to the Americas with the Spanish missionaries and, due to an array of influences and factors of the time, a lot of Native Americans of the southwest adopted these beliefs (often alongside their own traditional spiritual belief systems).
The Spaniards shared the cross when they taught silversmithing techniques to the Navajo and other tribes, and crosses were soon reproduced and incorporated into traditional Navajo and Pueblo designs.
Here at Indian Traders, we are thrilled to offer a beautiful range of Native American Cross jewelry that has been handcrafted by local Navajo and Zuni artisans in the Southwest. From pendants and necklaces to earrings, many of these silver pieces feature turquoise and other semi-precious stones including coral, shell, and jet.
This jewelry makes a perfect gift for a birthday, anniversary, christening or baptism, confirmation, or any other occasion. Whether you appreciate the Cross for its Christian symbolism, as a more ancient motif, or simply for its beauty in and of itself, browse our range for your special piece of Navajo or Zuni cross jewelry today.