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Pueblo Bonito frog
carved jet with inlaid turquoise
850-1140 CE
Pueblo Bonito
New Mexico

#nativeamerican #ancientamerica #archeology #carvedjet #turquoise #frog #handmade #amulet #pueblobonito #newmexico #usa #ritual #rain #crops #fertility
In many Native American Pueblo cultures, frogs held significant symbolic meaning, primarily associated with water, rain, and fertility. They were often seen as messengers of rain, representing the cycle of life, and keepers of the sa- cred seasons. Frogs were also considered supernatural beings, bridging the human and spirit worlds, and were sometimes depicted as guardians of water. Pueblo Bonito is the largest and best-known great house in Chaco Culture National Historical Park, northern New Mexico. It was built by the Ancestral Puebloans who occupied the structure between 850 to 1140 CE. Jet, a type of lignite, was a significant material used by the Ancestral Puebloans, particularly at Pueblo Bonito, for creating figurines and jewelry. These jet artifacts, often inlaid with turquoise, suggest the material's importance in their culture and beliefs, potentially symbolizing water or as a symbol of status and trade.
May 18, 2025 at 1:51 PM