Native American Pieces: Zuni Fetishes
In cultures around the world, animals are widely believed to have inherent powers or qualities that may aid their owners.
Perhaps the most stylized animal sculptures in art are Zuni Fetishes. Traditionally, these small carvings were carried by their owners into battle or on the hunt and were believed to enhance the success of the mission. The carvings were also held by medicine men as if they were in captivity, where they acted as mediators between the tribes and the animals they represented. Zuni fetishes were kept in a small clay pot or a buckskin bag, and were "fed" a mixture of cornmeal and the blood of the slain prey.
The carvings were made of a variety of materials that were indigenous to the region or obtained by trade, including jasper, pipestone, ivory, serpentine, antler, and jet. Turquoise was considered a sacred stone by the Zuni. The fetishes were often adorned with symbols such as arrowheads, which were believed to prevent a warrior from being taken by surprise by the enemy. Etched or inlaid heartlines were intended to feed the fetish itself. The carvings are as abstract as possible because the Zuni believed that minimalist designs were closer to the animals' spirits.
To the Zuni, the powerful black bear represented one of the four cardinal directions: the West, land of tall blue mountains and the setting sun.
Zuni horse fetishes were considered by their neighbors to have great power for protecting their herds, and were widely traded throughout the Southwest.
Let our charming representations of these Zuni animals protect you and your loved ones.