Wonderfully carved, this Six Directional Corn Maiden fetish is made out of a Ram Horn (Shofar) and is inlaid with Turquoise and Sterling Silver. The Maidens’ hair and corn bodies are delicately etched, as well as, dragonflies on their dresses.   The bottom is inlaid with Turquoise cloud designs.  Hand made...

This sculptural fetish was created by Zuni artist Todd Westika.  Wonderfully carved, this Corn Maiden fetish is made out of Orthoceras and is inlaid with Turquoise and Silver.  The Maiden's hair and corn body is delicately etched, as well as, corn stalks and dragonflies on her dress.  The Corn Maiden is an important figure in Pueblo culture, bringing a good harvest to feed the people.  Signed.  5  1/8” tall x 1  7/8” long x 7/8" wide   Artist card included Orthoceras was a straight shelled nautiloid that lived during the Paleozoic Era. The name means straight horn, ortho=straight ceras= horn. It is this long conical shell that is commonly preserved as a fossil. Zuni fetishes are carvings made from various materials by the Zuni people.  Traditionally, fetishes served a ceremonial purpose for their creators and they represented animals and figures that were part of their culture.  Today, as a form of Native American Art, they are sold to collectors worldwide.  With a myriad of materials like turquoise, shell, jet, marble, serpentine, and much more, Zuni fetish carvers are able to create carvings in a style of their own.