Hopi overlay — the technique of cutting designs from one silver sheet and soldering it atop a second, oxidized sheet — emerged in the 1940s through the Hopi Silvercraft Cooperative Guild as a deliberate effort to create a Hopi-specific jewelry identity distinct from Navajo silversmithing. Clan symbols including bear paw, rain cloud, and migration spiral encode cultural narratives in silver, with stylistic distinctions between Second Mesa and Third Mesa workshops reflecting the artistic diversity within Hopi culture.
Working from his studio on Second Mesa, Duane Tawahongva practices the distinctive Hopi overlay technique — a method in which two layers of sterling silver are fused together, with designs cut from the top layer to reveal the oxidized surface beneath. His clan symbols, water motifs, and migration patterns translate centuries of Hopituh Shi-nu-mu spiritual knowledge into wearable silver narratives that carry prayers across the secular world.
Provenance
Offered by The Humiovi — family-owned in Sedona, Arizona, since 1972. Every piece in our gallery has a known origin and a verified maker.
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Arrives Thu, Jul 2 – Thu, Jul 9
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Indian Arts and Crafts Act Compliant
Every piece is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity, documenting its provenance and recorded below for Sunface Kachina #029.
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This item is guaranteed authentic, handcrafted by a member of a federally recognized Native American tribe, in full compliance with the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. § 305 et seq.).
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Discover this exceptional Native American Kachina, created by Hopi artisans. 10" in. From the ancient mesas of northeastern Arizona, the Hopi people have lived in this region for over a thousand years. Hopi silversmiths developed their distinctive overlay technique in the 1940s, featuring symbols from their rich ceremonial traditions. Created by artist Virgil Long, this piece carries the mark of its creator. Every piece at Humiovi is one-of-a-kind — once sold, it can never be replicated. Ships from our gallery in Sedona, Arizona.
SKU: S058707
The Artist
Hopi silverwork is defined by the overlay technique: two layers of sterling silver, the upper sheet pierced with a design and soldered over a lower layer that is oxidised dark and often textured, so the motif reads as bright silver against shadow. The style was refined into its modern form after the Second World War, when a silvercraft training programme on the Hopi mesas encouraged smiths to draw on distinctly Hopi iconography. Clouds, rain, migration spirals, bear paws, katsina figures, and water-serpent forms recur — each carrying meaning within Hopi life. Stones are rare in Hopi work; the artistry lives in the line, the contrast, and the precision of the cut.
Heritage
The silver overlay masters of the Arizona mesas — luminous two-tone silver carrying clan symbols, kachina forms, and the imagery of Hopi life.
Art Traditions
The motifs in Hopi overlay are not decorative inventions; they are drawn from a living ceremonial and clan system. Kachina imagery, water and corn symbols, and clan emblems reference the spiritual relationships and responsibilities at the center of Hopi life, which remains organized around the ceremonial calendar, the kiva, and the agricultural cycle of the mesas. Out of respect, the most sacred imagery stays within ceremony and is not rendered for sale, and Hopi artists are deliberate about the line between what may be shared and what may not. The post-war creation of the Hopi style was, in part, an act of cultural self-determination — a conscious choice, supported by Hopi leaders and artists, to define Hopi identity in silver on Hopi terms rather than in borrowed forms. That spirit continues in the guild tradition and in the family workshops scattered across First, Second, and Third Mesa today. Humiovi presents Hopi overlay with awareness of its symbolic weight, honoring both the artisans and the boundaries the Hopi themselves draw around their sacred imagery. This care extends to the marketplace: Hopi artists and the guild have long worked to ensure that genuine Hopi makers, rather than imitators, receive the recognition and livelihood their work earns. To choose authentic Hopi silver is, in a real and practical sense, to support that self-determination and the families who sustain the craft.
Cared for thoughtfully, a handcrafted piece is meant to last generations. A few essentials for this one:
Last on, first off
Put your piece on after fragrance, lotion, and hairspray — and take it off before water, sleep, and sport.
Store with care
Keep each piece in its own soft pouch, away from direct sun and damp, so softer stones never meet harder ones.
Estimated delivery: Thu, Jul 2 – Thu, Jul 9
Insured shipping calculated at checkout.
Order by 2pm MST for same-day processing
Certificate of Authenticity
Every purchase includes a Certificate of Authenticity documenting the artist, tribal affiliation, and materials used in your piece.
Returns & Exchanges
Return within 30 days of delivery. Exchanges for an item of equal or greater value carry no restocking fee; refund returns are subject to a 20% restocking fee, with return shipping paid by you. Items must be in new, unworn, and unused condition with all original packaging — your Certificate of Authenticity is yours to keep. Custom and personalized pieces are not eligible.
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