Brown and white heishe authentic sterling silver Native American made teardrop earrings. Double teardrop style, lightweight and the perfect everyday native made earrings. These will make for a beautiful gift for yourself or someone else. 

What is Heishe?

The word “heishe” itself is a Santo Domingo term. It literally means "shell" and refers to pieces of shell which have been drilled and ground into beads and then strung into necklaces. More and more frequently, however, heishe (pronounced hee-shee) has come to refer to hand-made tiny beads made of any natural material—stone, coral, turquoise, lapis, spiny oyster shells, mother of pearl, amber—you name it!

The origin of heishe is linked to the ancient history of the Santo Domingo and San Felipe Pueblo Indians. It is said to be the oldest form of jewelry in New Mexico (and possibly in North America), pre-dating the introduction of metals. Centuries ago, the shells used by the Pueblo Indians to make beads were obtained in trade from the Gulf of California.