When Catholic and Protestant missionaries imposed the Latin cross, several Indigenous peoples incorporated it, merging the Christian message with their own myths. Among the Zuni, a Pueblo people of New Mexico, the relationship with the Christian cross is particularly fascinating. It perfectly illustrates how a symbol imposed by Spanish missionaries as early as the 16th century was completely reappropriated to become a good luck charm and a masterpiece of craftsmanship.

Under Spanish colonization, the Zuni were forced to make or wear Christian crosses. Over time, they transformed this constraint into a unique artistic expression through silverwork.

Today, the Zuni Cross is world-renowned in jewelry, but it has been stripped of its tragic or purely Catholic meaning to become a symbol of protection and reconnection with nature. The inlay technique: Zuni artisans meticulously break down semi-precious stones and insert them into the silver structure of the cross.

The symbolism of colors: Each stone added to the cross reintroduces Zuni mythology. Turquoise represents Father Sky and water, red coral recalls Mother Earth, and mother-of-pearl (or black mother-of-pearl) evokes sacred elements.

The "Coptic" or "Pueblo" style: Their pendants often combine the shape of the Latin cross with stylized hearts or geometric patterns that subtly recall the silhouette of a dragonfly or the sun.