Sterling Silver & Brass Kokopelli Pendant — Double-Sided Design
SKU: 3920
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Flip this Kokopelli pendant over and you'll find a second design on the back — a Zia sun symbol with the words "good vibrations" engraved around it. The front shows the humpbacked flute player in polished .925 sterling silver set against a warm brass inlay, framed by an oxidized silver border. It measures 18 × 33 mm and weighs 9 grams — a two-tone piece that tells a different story depending on which side faces out.
Built For
If you collect Southwestern jewelry — these are two very different things. The flute player is a modern commercial icon assembled out of older Southwestern imagery. The Zia sun is a living symbol belonging to Zia Pueblo. This pendant gets the flute player’s proportions right — flute, hunched back, dancing posture — and puts the Zia sun on the reverse.
If you like jewelry with meaning behind it — the fertility, music and joy meanings attached to the flute player come from the souvenir trade, not from a named nation. The Zia sun’s four-fold meaning is documented by Zia Pueblo itself: four directions, four seasons, four times of day, four stages of life. One side of this pendant has a sourced meaning. The other does not.
If you prefer two-tone metals — The brass inlay behind the Kokopelli figure adds a warm gold tone that contrasts with the cooler silver frame. The brass is solid, not a coating, so the two-tone effect stays even as both metals age and develop patina.
The Honest Take
At 9 grams, this pendant is light. You feel it when you first put it on, then it blends into the day. The 4mm thickness gives it enough depth that the Kokopelli figure has real dimension — the flute, the arched back, the legs in motion all stand out from the brass background rather than sitting flat.
The brass has a warm, slightly reddish gold tone that's distinctly different from gold plating. Over time, the brass will darken and develop its own patina while the silver frame does the same in its own way. The two metals age at different rates, which actually increases the contrast between them. Some people polish both metals regularly. Others let nature take its course. Both approaches look good — just different.
The bail opening is 1.5mm — small enough that the pendant sits cleanly without flopping around, but the clasp you thread through it has to be on the slim side. A thick clasp or chunky link simply won't pass. If you're reusing a chain you already own, check its clasp before ordering.
The engraving on the back — "good vibrations" around the Zia sun — is shallow but legible. It's a nice touch that turns the pendant into a personal reminder rather than just a display piece. The letters are small, so people won't read them from a distance. It's something only you or someone holding the pendant will see.
Under the Hood
Before You Buy
Q: Who is Kokopelli and what does the symbol mean?
Less one figure than one label. “Kokopelli” gathers up Southwestern rock-art flute players, the Hopi katsina Kookopölö — a robber-fly figure, not a musician — and commercial outlines like the one on this pendant’s front. The Zia sun on the reverse is a separate Southwestern motif, not part of the same story.
Q: What's the Zia sun symbol on the back?
The Zia sun is sacred to the Zia Pueblo of New Mexico. Its four groups of rays stand for the four directions, four seasons, four times of day and four stages of life. It reached the New Mexico state flag without the Pueblo’s consent, and Zia asks businesses to seek permission before using it commercially — a request we did not make before producing this pendant.
Q: Will the brass change color over time?
Yes — brass naturally develops a darker, warmer patina with wear and exposure to air. This is normal and many people prefer the aged look. If you want to keep the brass bright, a gentle rub with a brass polish or a lemon-and-salt paste restores the original warm gold tone.
Q: Does this come with a chain?
No — it ships as a pendant only, so you can match it to a chain you already own or pick a fresh one. The 1.5mm bail fits most standard chains, and a 1.5-2mm silver box chain or snake chain complements the two-tone silver-and-brass look without competing with the double-sided detail.
At a Glance
You Might Also Want
If you like the silver-and-brass two-tone look, the Rasta Lion Brass & Silver Coin Pendant uses the same metal combination with a completely different cultural motif — bold lion head on a coin-style face.
Another two-tone with cultural meaning: the Ganesha Tusk Silver & Brass Pendant features the Hindu deity of wisdom and new beginnings — same brass-and-silver pairing, different tradition.
For something from the nature/spiritual side, the Tribal Blossom Moonstone Pendant pairs floral design with a moonstone centerpiece — a lighter, more organic piece that complements the Kokopelli well when worn on different days.
If you collect across themes, browse our men's sterling silver pendants — mythology, biker, religious, and minimalist designs all cast in solid .925.
