Dentalium – Blue 2 Tear 2 Song Disk Earrings

Description

Dentalium Blue 2 Tear 2 Song Disk Earrings are an extraordinary and deeply meaningful expression of cultural heritage and artisan mastery. Measuring 1.5 × 11 inches, dentalium shells are carefully assembled with mother of pearl disks, silver beads, glass beads, silver cone beads, and lustrous pearl beads on a leather base, handwoven with Nymo thread and finished with surgical steel components in a cool, luminous palette of blue, white, silver, clear crystal, brown, and the natural iridescence of mother of pearl. The dual cascading tear drop tiers create a sweeping, dramatic silhouette of extraordinary presence and fluid movement, while the mother of pearl disks catch and scatter light at every turn, creating a shimmering, water-like quality that brings the design to life with every step. The clear crystal elements weave brilliance throughout, amplifying the cool blue and silver tones with a jewel-like depth and radiance that is nothing short of breathtaking.

In Native American traditions, dentalium — or tusk shells — are small tubular mollusk shells historically harvested from the Pacific Northwest, particularly around Vancouver Island. Highly prized for their rarity and natural beauty, dentalium shells were used by Indigenous peoples across America as a valued form of currency, trade, and regalia. Carefully harvested and widely traded among nations, they were used to adorn dresses, necklaces, earrings, and ceremonial accessories, symbolizing wealth, status, and cultural distinction. To wear dentalium is to carry the legacy of generations of Indigenous artistry, trade, and cultural pride.

The mother of pearl disks bring their own profound natural symbolism — representing the ocean’s protective energy, harmony, and the sacred feminine. Their soft, shifting iridescence evokes the surface of sunlit water, adding an ethereal luminance that elevates the cool blue and white tones into something truly spectacular. The dual tear drop tiers speak to abundance and duality — the meeting of two worlds, two energies, two streams of life flowing together in graceful continuity. The warm brown leather elements ground the piece in organic tradition, connecting the finished design to the natural world from which all its materials were gathered.

Dentalium Blue 2 Tear 2 Song Disk Earrings honor this rich legacy through dramatic, luminous design and meaningful detail — a wearable tribute to heritage, abundance, and the enduring cultural significance of one of nature’s most treasured shells.

Details

• Colors: Blue, white, silver, clear crystal, brown, mother of pearl
• Materials: Dentalium shells, mother of pearl disks, silver beads, glass beads, silver cone beads, pearl beads, leather, Nymo thread, surgical steel
• Size: 1.5 × 11 inches

Care Instructions: Wipe with damp cloth and keep dry. Dentalium is a delicate shell and can break or crack if you are rough with it. Even though the Nymo thread is nylon based and is very strong, pulling hard and yanking on the earrings can tear the thread. Please be kind to these earrings when you wear them.