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Yahwera, Native American animal master necklace in silver
The "Yahwera" is a unique necklace inspired by a petroglyph created by Native Americans from the Renegade Canyon, located in the Coso Range in California. This park is renowned for hosting the highest concentration of petroglyphs in the United States, constituting an invaluable archaeological treasure.
The artwork engraved in stone depicts a figure armed with an atlatl or spear. Its face is composed of concentric circles, a recurring motif in Native American rock art often symbolizing shamanic visions or trance states. The figure wears a fringed garment and appears to have bird-like feet. It is accompanied by two lizards (potentially horned toads or chuckwallas) and a large serpent, animals often associated with symbols of transformation and power in indigenous cultures.
These petroglyphs are dated between 10,000 and 1,000 years BC, bearing witness to the antiquity and cultural richness of the civilizations that created them. In seeking to understand the meaning of this petroglyph, current trends associate it with shamanism, interpreting these engravings as visions that the shaman would have captured in stone. The figure represents a Native American shaman engaging in ritual dreams, entering the spirit world and merging with ancestral knowledge. The concentric circles on its face may evoke the swirling hallucinations of shamanic trances, while its bird-like feet symbolize the sensation of flying, departing the earthly realm for that of the spirits.
However, recent researchers working in the Coso Range Park are revisiting ancient theories with current knowledge. They are re-examining the concept of depicting hunting, often applied within the context of prehistory. Referring to the tradition of Native American tribes to respect and reverence nature, particularly in relation to hunted animals, another interpretation is proposed. When an animal was killed to feed the tribe, a specific ritual was performed to thank nature for this gift and to allow the animal to be reborn, thus perpetuating the cycle of life. The figure could therefore represent a hunter performing this sacred ritual for the animals he had just "taken." This hunting ritual aimed to promote the reproduction and survival of animal species.
In the same vein, this figure could also be an "animal master", a supernatural and immortal leader of an animal species. This guardian protects the species and decides whether to offer it to hunters or withhold it. Maintaining good relations with these deities is crucial for ensuring hunting success. Mentions of the animal master are found in several cultures, notably among the Southern Paiutes and Utes, who placed a god at the top of mountains capable of transforming into a bird (raven) and controlling animals. This god was assisted by lesser divinities providing game to humans. These cultures also believed in the reincarnation of animals when rituals involving bones were respected.
The claw or talon-shaped feet, found in nearly half of the anthropomorphic representations in the reserve, are consistent with the depiction of the animal master. This detail underscores the importance of spiritual connection with nature and animals in Native American culture.
Metal: sterling silver.
Dimensions: approximately 4.5 x 3 cm (or 1.77 x 1.18 inches).
Cord length: about 90 cm.
I will need 5 days to complete your order 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).
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I hope you will love this jewel as much as I enjoyed creating it.
By Emmanuelle Guyon.
Tags : necklace, Native American, petroglyph, Neolithic, archaeology, America, American, Native, pendant, silver, hunter, anthropomorphic, lizard, trances, serpent, history, warrior, shaman, Yahwera, spiritual guide, animal, totem, shamanism, prehistory, animal master, rock art, vision, ritual, hunt, legend, Paiutes, Utes, chuckwalla, myth
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