Crab Cutie

This cute crab was made by Gilbert Lonjose from serpentine.  The back is dimpled and has four inlaid turquoise dots.  Above the eyes are engraved lines and the eyes are also inlaid turquoise.  The claws are big and bold, the better to protect this cutie from predators.  The legs are detailed on each side.  "GL", "Zuni", and "2022" are engraved on the bottom.

Size: 1" H x 2.25" L x 2.25" W

Crabs live in all of the world’s oceans.  They are born in the ocean, and those that spend most of their lives on land walk to their destination and migrate back to the ocean to lay their eggs. They shed their exoskeletons as they grow, leaving what no longer serves them.  They communicate by drumming or waving their pincers.

Traditionally, Zuni carvings are symbolically fed cornmeal.   Each Zuni fetish comes in a box with a descriptive card and a tiny bit of corn meal to tide them over until they reach you.