Wampum Shell Statement Lariat Necklace

• Large Wampum shell lariat‑style necklace
• Natural quahog shell — deep purple + white
• Sterling silver shadowbox design — heavy + sculptural  
• Center cluster of 3 Wampum cabochons with lariat drop
• Adjustable 14–26 inches  
• Full length from clasp to bottom: 32 inches  
• Stamped G. Nez — Navajo silversmith Gilbert Nez

This large lariat‑style necklace features natural Wampum shell cabochons set in heavy sterling silver with a shadowbox negative‑space design. The centerpiece gathers three Wampum stones, with a fourth cabochon suspended as a lariat drop. Wampum comes from the quahog shell traditionally gathered by Northeastern tribes such as the Wampanoag, Narragansett, Pequot, and Lenape, who feasted on the clams and saved the deepest purple inner lining for beadwork. The necklace adjusts from 14 to 26 inches, with a total length of 32 inches from clasp to bottom. Stamped G. Nez, this piece is handcrafted by Navajo silversmith Gilbert Nez, known for his bold, weighty silverwork and clean, traditional settings.

Wampum carries the medicine of memory, honor, and story, once carved into beads and belts that recorded treaties, accomplishments, and the lives of the people. The deep purple comes from quahogs that lived in colder, deeper waters, where the shell grows richer and more powerful. In Lifted work, Wampum is a stone of ancestral connection, truth, and sacred exchange, a reminder that gifts can carry meaning far beyond beauty. This lariat feels like wearing a strand of living history — weighty, intentional, and deeply rooted in tradition — the kind of piece that honors where you come from and elevates the moment you choose to give or wear it.