Rare Native American Heishi Bird ChokerHeishi is the oldest form of jewelry in North America. The word itself means shell, but describes a method of crafting that dates back 6000 BCE. It is attributed to the Kewa people, formerly known as the Santo Domingo Indians, one of the Rio Grande Pueblos in Northern New Mexico. Heishi jewelry is created by hand, which seems nearly impossible given the precision required to individually cut, shape, and string each tiny bead, which is composed of