THE NOMADIC PEOPLES. 159 



possible that the designs now found on Navajo hhinkc^ts 

 were in hirge measure adapted from basketry designs. 

 Unfortunately, the Navajo at the present time make 

 very few baskets, so that a comparison between the 

 designs on blankets and baskets is impossible. 



Silverivork. The art of metal working is certainly 

 an introduced one in the Southwest. It is practised 

 by many tribes in North America usually with the 

 softer metals like German silver. The Navajo, how- 

 ever, use Mexican silver coins and have become very 

 expert. Most of the work is done by pounding the 

 material on a small anvil with an ordinary steel hammer. 

 A small forge with bellows is used to soften the metal 

 and to melt it when it is necessary to make casts in 

 molds. The hammered pieces are decorated by stamp- 

 ing designs on them with steel dies which are prepared 

 by the Navajo themselves. 



The products are bracelets, finger rings set with 

 turquoise matrix, large oval discs for leather belts, and 

 neck ornaments. These neck ornaments are usually a 

 string of hollow spherical beads and a pendant con- 

 sisting of two joined crescents. Between the beads 

 are often placed conventionalized squash blossoms. 



Beadwork. The Apache do much work with glass 

 beads. These are either sewed to articles of leather 

 and buckskin, such as purses, tobacco bags, awl cases, 

 belts, and moccasins; or they are woven in a belt loom 

 having a warp and woof of cotton thread. The beads 

 are strung on the w^oof by means of two needles which 

 pass a double thread through the beads and on either 



