Spiro Mounds spider, Mississippi Native American necklace in silver

The "Spiro Mounds Spider" pendant is a sterling silver replica inspired by an ancient Native American ornament found at the archaeological site of Spiro Mounds, located in Le Flore County, Oklahoma (USA). This artifact comes from the Mississippian culture, a flourishing pre-Columbian civilization whose people spoke Caddoan languages, like the present-day Wichita, Kichai, Caddo, Pawnee, and Arikara tribes.

Contrary to the often stereotypical image of nomadic Native Americans, the inhabitants of Spiro Mounds lived in a vast, organized city, comparable to some Mesoamerican metropolises. Spanning around 60 hectares, the site includes a dozen large mounds that bear witness to a complex, hierarchical society.

The original pendant was discovered in Craig Mound — the second-largest mound on the site, with a funerary purpose. This burial mound held a conical chamber about 3 meters high and 4.6 meters wide, supported by a wooden structure. Inside, archaeologists uncovered a true funerary treasure, including objects from distant regions, such as obsidian from Mexico.

Dated between 1200 and 1450 CE, the original pendant was engraved on a marine shell. Circular in shape, it features a central spider motif surrounded by several concentric rings with powerful symbols: an open ring resembling a web, another with outstretched hands, and an outer border of small barred ovals, similar to a series of stylized eyes.

Though the exact meaning of these symbols has been lost to time, contemporary Native traditions offer several interpretations. The spider is seen as a sacred messenger, a weaver of destiny, a symbol of creativity, femininity, and a link between worlds. The cross on its back — also formed by the arrangement of its eight legs — is sometimes associated with wind, fire, the four cardinal directions, or the world’s center. It thus embodies a powerful balance between the forces of nature and the cycles of life.

This pendant carries a collective memory, weaving a connection between the living and the ancestors, between the peoples of yesterday and today. The original is housed at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History at the University of Oklahoma.

Metal: sterling silver (925)

Cord length: approx. 90 cm

Pendant dimensions: approx. 3.7 cm x 4 cm

Production time: 5 business days before shipping

As we currently dwell in Mexico, provide a period of 3 to 6 weeks to receive your order for free with normal post service. Thank you for taking this information into account before ordering in our shop. At checkout, you will also have the option of choosing an express shipping. (please, read the complete conditions of shipping here).

You have a question? Contact us.

I hope you will love this jewel as much as I enjoyed creating it.

By Emmanuelle Guyon.

Tags : replica, archaeology, archaeological, United States, Native American, North America, spider, insect, animal, pre-Columbian, Spiro Mounds, Mississippi, sacred, amulet, shell, history, Spiro, cross, totem, Mississippian, spirituality, hand, eye, wind, fire

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