Sterling Silver & Brass Kokopelli Pendant — Double-Sided Design
SKU: 3920
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 — Kokopelli is one of the core symbols of Puebloan culture. This pendant gets the proportions right — the flute, the hunched back, the dancing posture — and pairs it with a Zia sun on the reverse. Two symbols from the same tradition on one piece.
If you like jewelry with meaning behind it — Kokopelli represents fertility, music, and joy in Native American tradition. The Zia sun on the back stands for the four directions, four seasons, and four stages of life. It's not just decoration — there's a story layered into both sides.
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. It's not plated — the brass is solid, 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 forget about it. 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 it sits cleanly on a chain without flopping around, but you'll need a chain with a thinner clasp to thread through. Most standard chains up to about 2mm width will work. Anything thicker won't fit through the bail.
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?
Kokopelli is a deity from Puebloan and other Southwestern Native American traditions — a humpbacked flute player associated with fertility, agriculture, music, and joy. He's one of the most recognized figures in Southwestern art and has been depicted in petroglyphs dating back over 1,000 years.
Q: What's the Zia sun symbol on the back?
The Zia sun is sacred to the Zia Pueblo people of New Mexico. Its four groups of rays represent the four directions, four seasons, four times of day (sunrise, noon, evening, night), and four stages of life (childhood, youth, adulthood, old age). It also appears on the New Mexico state flag.
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 — pendant only. The 1.5mm bail fits most standard chains. A 1.5-2mm silver box chain or snake chain would complement the two-tone look well.
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.