Hand Carved Azurite Bear Fetish Beads

Crafters and Jewelers, heads up! These hand carved block Azurite Fetish Bears are a great way to stock up your jewelry supply case. Each of these fetish totems are 1-3/8" tall by 1/2" wide and hand carved with precision from brilliant block Azurite. These fetishes are drilled through the top so they will hang standing up when strung onto your hand crafted jewelry. Carved totems like this are often used as the centerpiece for a fetish necklace or pendant, and would also make great accents to hand made Indian treasure necklaces. Strung with gemstones or by themselves, these bear fetishes would be a great addition to all kinds of jewelry, art, and crafts. Let your imagination guide you and you'll find something perfect for these beautiful carved bear totems. You'll receive one hand carved bear fetish from the group pictured below.

A potent source of strength for Native Americans is the bear. Admired for their strength, independence, and self reliance, Bear's spirits were often invoked before entering battle. Warriors sometimes painted their faces with marks resembling bear claw scratches and carried double-edged knives with handles carved from the jawbones of bears as good luck charms. It was believed that bear power could also cure illness. Shamans or medicine men from many different groups frequently dressed as bears when working to heal the sick. Just as honoring the bear spirit could bring blessings to people, provoking the spirit might bring them harm. For that reason, some tribes, most notably the Apache, forbade their hunters to kill a bear, or even to touch the carcass of one found dead in the woods.

Native Americans have always felt a special connection to nature. The belief that all things have a spirit is an integral part of their religions. The Zuni believe that animals are more like the Zuni deities than is man. They also believe that animals have more power than man and that these powers, both practical and spiritual, reside in their totems.