Materials & Techniques
What a work is made of.
Techniques vary between nations, families, and individual artists. These notes explain what each listing will disclose — not a single tradition.
Silver and metals
Ingot, sheet, and wire silver, stamped, cast, or overlaid. Metal content should be stated for each object.
See the collection →Turquoise and stones
Natural, stabilized, and treated stones differ; each listing should state which, and name the mine only when documented.
See the collection →Clay
Locally gathered or commercial clays, hand-coiled or wheel-formed, with firing method stated where known.
See the collection →Wool and fiber
Hand-spun or commercial yarn, natural or synthetic dyes, recorded per textile.
See the collection →Plant fibers
Rivercane, white oak, sweetgrass, willow, and yucca — each with its own gathering and preparation knowledge.
See the collection →Glass beads and quills
Seed beads, trade beads, and porcupine quillwork, with bead sizes and techniques documented.
See the collection →