Zuni Pueblo Carved Red Stone Turtle with 1 Seashell Fetish

Late 20th/Early 21st Century

1.125" H x 2.625" L x 1.5" W

Hand Carved Red Stone Turtle with 1 Seashell and with Inlaid 2 Turquoise Eyes 

From a Private Colorado Collection

Excellent Condition

This is a small, hand-carved stone turtle figurine, made in the distinctive style of Zuni fetish carvings from the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico, USA. The body is carved from a rich reddish-brown stone, most likely pipestone (catlinite) or a similar red jasper. The domed carapace is a polished, natural cowrie (or cowry) shell with its characteristic spotted leopard-like pattern in cream and brown. The shell is glued or set onto the stone body, a very common technique in Zuni turtle fetishes. Inlaid with tiny dots of turquoise (classic Zuni touch). Simple, smooth, and stylized rather than hyper-realistic. The head, legs, and tail are carved in a rounded, almost abstract form typical of traditional Zuni fetishes. In Zuni culture these are fetish carvings—small animal figures believed to contain the spirit/essence of that animal and used for protection, healing, or good fortune. Turtles specifically represent longevity, Mother Earth, and stability. These little pipestone-and-cowrie turtles are one of the most popular and widely reproduced Zuni fetish designs. They are still actively made by Zuni carvers today and are sold both as authentic Native American art and as affordable tourist pieces.