Concho Belt c. 1880s

This is a concho belt, crafted by the Navajo, or Diné people, featuring silver conchos on a leather strap. The term ‘concho’ is derived from the Spanish word for shell, reflecting the original round or oval shape of these ornaments. Each concho is adorned with stamped designs, often radial patterns emanating from a central geometric shape. The central diamond motif, so prominent here, echoes the ancient symbol of the eye or the sun, a motif found across cultures, from ancient Egypt to the Renaissance. Think of the 'All-Seeing Eye' in Renaissance paintings, often a symbol of divine knowledge and protection. Over time, the diamond transforms from a symbol of sight or illumination to one of identity, a marker of tribal and personal meaning. In the collective memory of the Diné people, the belt serves not only as adornment, but also as a powerful emblem of cultural identity, a link to ancestral knowledge and the unbroken cycle of tradition. These are silent storytellers.