Inv# MC10W.1905

Guarantee:  10-strand ivory white clam shell heishi necklace hand-strung & hand-wrapped, with traditional ‘Pueblo-wrap’ style neck loop in 2019, by renowned Kewa Native American necklace artist, Mary Coriz. Total length: 36” with 12” Pueblo-wrap neck loop and 24” of ivory white clam shell heishi beads on each strand. Weight: 287 grams. New 2019 and not previously sold, worn, or used by anyone.

COMMENTS.  Sadly, Kewa artisan Mary Coriz passed away in 2021.  She was a renowned Kewa Pueblo artisan for creating her unique & superb ivory white heishi shell, 10-strand necklaces like this one, with the traditional “Pueblo-wrap” neck loop.  In recent years, Mary produced only a limited number of these famous necklaces, which became rare on the market even before her passing in 2021.  In 2019, pre-Covid, we custom ordered 5 of these necklaces from Mary & consider it a privilege that she created them for us in 2019.  This necklace is 1 of those.  It has never been sold or worn by anyone prior to this, so it indeed is a rare and beautiful Mary Coriz “original”. 

Mary used skills and knowledge passed down over hundreds and thousands of years by her Kewa ancestors. The skill and knowledge for finishing a necklace with the traditional ‘Pueblo-wrap’ neck loop is disappearing, and Mary was one of its skilled artisans. Our appreciation for Mary’s necklaces increases even more when we consider that she hand-strung over 300-400 tiny heishi beads on each of the 10 strands for a total of 3000-4000 heishi beads in the necklace.  Think about the time and patience required to do that and hand-wrap the neck loop with a traditional ‘Pueblo-wrap’. With deep respect for Mary, her family & the Kewa people, we offer this beautiful, rare Mary Coriz necklace.  

Materials:  10-strand ivory white clam shell heishi; waxed carpet string; ‘Pueblo-wrap’ neck loop of hand-wrapped waxed carpet string. Clam shell heishi beads are generally circular, with minor shape and thickness imperfections due to natural shell characteristics and effects of heishi shell cutting, polishing and hole-drilling. 

Detailed Dimensions.  [Measurements are approximate, using a micrometer; there are minor variations inherent in hand-made jewelry and consistent with variations in natural materials.]

• Total end-to-end length:  36” including 24” 10-strand heishi  & 12” ‘Pueblo-wrap’ neck loop

• Clam shell heishi bead diameter:  approx. 0.17 > 0.2” with minor variation

• Clam shell heishi bead thickness:  varies from 0.02” to 1.8” thickness

• Neck loop waxed string wrap diameter:  approx. 0.2”

Weight:  287 grams [approx. 10oz]. Be aware that because Mary used larger size white clam shell heishi, her 10-strand clam shell heishi necklaces are heavier than small heishi or small turquoise ‘chip’ necklaces. This specific 10-strand necklace—weighing 287g.—is 1 of Mary’s lighter weight necklaces, but for smaller individuals may still feel heavy on-the-neck.