Dentalia Jewelry

Thank you for visiting my dentalia jewelry page. I'm still pretty new at making dentalia jewelry but it has been really fun and a great honor.

You can read more bout my baskets, weaving, jewelry, and other projects here. I learned about the history and use of dentalia from Mandy McCullough at a workshop at the Squaxin Island Tribe's Museum Library and Research Center (MLRC). Long ago, dentalia shells were collected by Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast and used for jewelry and decoration, as well as a form of currency when trading with other Indigenous Peoples throughout North America. Records of dentalia use go as far back as 4400 BCE and they were used extensively for trade between Tribes in the 19th century.

I now make a variety of dentalia jewelry using materials that have meaning for me in some way. For example, for red beads I often use coral as I have traveled in Ladakh and central Asia and for black beads I often use black coconut as I visit Maui often. I give all of my designs a name...a plant or a local place I have visited that has meaning for me. You can see some of these standard designs here. Most of my designs incorporate the Fibonacci sequence in some way (read more about that here). I am always happy to create a new design or use new materials so just let me know if you'd like me to take on a special project or commission. I give most of my jewelry away to family, friends, friends of friends, etc. because I enjoy making them so much. So if you'd like one, just contact me. If you would like an item but really REALLY want to purchase it, I generally charge $34 for bracelets and $55 for necklaces. I donate half of any profit to the Steilacoom Tribe since it is through the Tribe that I was given the opportunity to learn such crafts.

Below are some standard designs...you can click on an image for a larger picture.

The design above is an Honor design for Veterans and Elders. It is made with dentalia shells, coral, lapis, gold heishi rings, and a gold magnetic clasp.

The design above is named "sq'Wuq'Walachats" (a transliteration of the Lushootseed word for 'paper birch') and is made with dentalia shells, black labradorite, coconut heishi beads, silver heishi rings, and silver magnetic clasps.

The design above is named "Potlatch" and is made with dentalia shells, coral beads, coconut heishi beads, copper heishi rings, and magnetic clasps.

The design above is named "pu'ohe'ohe", the Hawaiian name for Job's Tears seeds, and is made with dentalia shells, pu'ohe'ohe seeds from Maui, coconut heishi beads, and magnetic clasps.

The design abive is named 'Okika', Hawaiian for "orchid", and is made with dentalia shells, pink lace jade, BD jade, coconut, and a gold magnetic clasp.


The design above is named 'ula'ula', Hawaiian for "red", and is made with dentalia shells, red sandlewood seeds from Maui, coconut, and a copper magnetic clasp.

And finally...above are just a few more options!