A lovely large solid piece of Labradorite has been hand carved by Zuni artist Kateri Sanchez into a glowing Corn Maiden. She is ribboned with beautiful rolling flashes of gold, teal, copper and deep blue light, and has beautiful depth and fire. Her traditional shawl has been lovingly carved with crushed jet stars. No detail has been spared down to the tiny fringe that drapes gracefully from her shawl. A tiny handmade Coral cabochon is inlaid at her throat, and her face has been sculpted from Mother of Pearl shell and also inlaid with crushed jet. This maiden is absolutely stunning and radiant with electric blue vibrancy.

Zuni fetish carvings traditionally served ceremonial purposes, each one was revered and thought to hold beneficial blessings to aid their owners. Highly collected each carving is a small sculpture of stunning indigenous art.  

Size is 42mm in height by 23mm at her widest point, and she is 19 mm thick.

Corn is the crown of the Earth Mother, and is an important staple food for some Native Indigenous tribes. Symbolically corn represents abundance, nurturance and fertile growth. Bearing the colors of the four directions, yellow, blue/black, red and white it is a plant that is revered for the sacred nourishment that it brings. Corn Maidens are welcomed and displayed inside the home to show respect to the Earth Mother for the many gifts and blessings that she bestows. 

"There's a story about how the six corn maiden sisters saved the Zuni people from famine long ago by feeding them the kernels of their body during a time of drought. They were taken for granted and left the Zuni village and when the people realized they'd gone it was too late. So they sought them out and begged them to return, but they agreed only on the condition that they not be taken for granted again. So we use corn in many aspects of our culture. When a baby is born, he or she is given a perfect ear of corn that's been blessed and is kept with the baby for protection. We grind corn into cornmeal that we use as offerings in prayers and ceremonies. These are just a few examples but because corn is so important to the Zuni people, the corn maiden reflects these things for me. They also represent abundance, fertility, and growth."

- Kateri Sanchez