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The Art of Traditional Pottery Making There are many well known potters from various tribes.  Most known are the pueblo people of New Mexico and Arizona.  Although the skills and experience vary greatly there are certain processes that re..

    Burial items     It is illegal to rob graves of artifacts on public land. It is important to know where an item came from. If a Seller cannot identify an items’ origination then it should not be acquired by or on behalf of the company. (..

  Symbols Used in Native American Art and Craft   Each design depicts a part of the Native American life.     Arrows, arrowheads, bows and spears acknowledge the hunting way of life.  Rain, lightning and clouds depict the acquies..

  Authenticity   LomaSiiva™ is dedicated to authentic Native American artistry.  We verify that an artist is actually a member of the Tribe they claim and are enrolled in that Tribe. This allows us to issue the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) ..

  Paintings   These are considered contemporary.  All types of mediums are used in this arena. Typically canvas or paper are used. Oil, water color, pen/ink and charcoal are all accepted mediums for this type of art. Native American artist..

  Tipis   Not all Tribes live in tipis. Although tipis are automatically linked to Native America there aren’t any tribes in the southwest that live in tipis. Tipis are homes of the tribes of the Plains. Traditionally they were made from ..

    Copper   Copper is a more contemporary material used in jewelry. It is a metal that beginning silversmiths use. It is a softer metal that is easy to fashion into different shapes. Recently it is being marketed as having some health ..

  Man in the Maze     Man in The Maze: is an Otham being. There are many stories about him and how he came to be. According to traditional Otham people the Man in the Maze is not something that should be decorating T-shirts, hats, towels ..

  Stamped jewelry   Stamped items - plain stamped pieces are considered handcrafted. The stamps are usually manufactured and purchased from a store. The skill in making these items lies in lining up a design properly and being able to create a..

  Dream Catchers   These items are more closely associated with Northern Tribes. Dream catchers were hung over an infant’s cradleboard to ward off evil spirits/dreams. They protect the person they are made for. Dream catchers are not tradition..

  Tribes of Arizona   Tribes - there are 21 Federally recognized Tribes in the State of Arizona. At last count there were approximately 571 Federally recognized Tribes in the United States of America. Tribes that are Federally recognized are p..

  How to Authenticate Genuine Turquoise ​Turquoise Turquoise: this mineral is formed by a foundation of copper, then water, aluminum and phosphorus joins the crowd. Once all these elements are together turquoise can form. Differing amounts of ..

  How to differentiate Handmade vs Handcrafted Native American artwork Handcrafted items are made of commercial materials. Which means these items are made from materials that are all commercially manufactured.  An example of this is a he..

  How to Authenticate a Native American Baskets Native basketry is beautiful in its simplicity. All native baskets that are made with natural materials are finished on both the inside and the outside. There aren’t any broken strands stickin..

How to Authenticate a Katsina (AKA Kachina)   Katsina is a Hopi word.  Katsina (Kah’ sti nah) are spirits that are intertwined with the Hopi people of the Southwest. The Hopi people of Northern Arizona are the only Tribe with katsinum (Kah’ t..