This golden eagle has a very serious look on its face. We suppose listening to so many prayers and taking them to the Creator is serious business, so we aren't surprised. It was carved by Tim Lementino from Zuni Pueblo. The materials are white marble, Picasso marble, and inlaid turquoise eyes. Tim's initials are carved on the bottom.
Size: 1" H x 2.375" L x .875" W
Raptors have many meanings in Native America. The eagle is the most sacred since it sees the furthest and flies the highest. It is considered as a messenger to take our prayers to the Creator. In Zuni Pueblo, eagles are also the guardian of the sky world. Hawks have a similar meaning, but not as powerful as the eagle. For some Indigenous people, hawks are the smaller siblings of eagles.
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.