HOPI 1301 - Man-in-the Maze bolo tie

The iconic design of the man-in-the-maze is a powerful image used by Hopi artisans.This particular piece measures 2-1/2" x 2" oval. Notice the etching marks on the back side of the bolo tie along with the two circles used to hold the cord. The cord is a hand woven chocolate brown color with sterling silver tips.The size of the oval maze really makes a statement when worn. HOPI BOLO TIE - MAN-IN-THE-MAZE DESIGN "The maze is a symbol of life... happiness, sadness... and you reach your goal... there's a dream there, and you reach that dream when you get to the middle of the maze... that's how I was told, my grandparents told me that's how the maze is." This figure is called Se: he or I’itoi ("Big Brother") in the Tohono O'odham language. He is shown at the top of a labyrinth, or maze, and is often referred to as the "Man in the Maze". For the Tohono O’odham, the symbol represents a person's journey through life. The twists and turns represent choices made in life; with each turn, man becomes more understanding and stronger as a person. In the middle of the maze, a person finds their dreams and goals. At the center (the last turn in the design), man has a final opportunity to look back upon his or her choices and path before they pass into the next world. Several other tribes related to the Tohono O’odham use the same or similar symbol, sometimes with a slightly different interpretation.) Sterling silver Is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925. SILVER, for example 99.9% pure silver, is relatively soft, so silver is usually alloyed with copper to increase its hardness and strength. Sterling silver is prone to tarnishing, and elements other than copper can be used in alloys to reduce tarnishing, as well as casting porosity and fire scale. _______________________________________________________________________ Oxidized silver (black coloring in the silver) is a process that many jewelers use to give sterling silver a black patina. It gives the jewelry an antique or tarnished look. The process consists of taking clean sterling silver and using a chemical (liver of sulfur) to treat it to speed up the tarnishing effect