The Zia Sun Symbol: What It Means, in the Pueblo of Zia's Own Words
The Zia sun is the symbol of the Pueblo of Zia in New Mexico. It is drawn as a circle with rays going out in four directions, four rays to each group. You have almost certainly seen it, and many of the pages that explain it give meanings nobody can trace to a source. This page does something narrower. It gives the meaning in the Pueblo of Zia's own words, and it says plainly where that meaning comes from.
We make Zia jewelry, so we should also say where we stand. T.Skies uses the Zia sun symbol with permission from the Pueblo of Zia. Our Zia pieces are in the Enchantment collection, and they are house designs, not Native-made jewelry. If you're looking for work by Native silversmiths, that is a different shelf: browse our Native American jewelry collection.
What the Zia symbol means
In a letter to T.Skies in 2025, the Pueblo of Zia described its symbol this way:
"The Zia Sun Symbol holds significant cultural meaning for our community, representing harmony and the interconnectedness of the four directions, the four seasons, the four stages of life, and the four parts of the day."
Pueblo of Zia, letter to Turquoise Skies Inc., September 19, 2025
That is the meaning we stand behind, because it is the Pueblo's own. It names four groups of four, held together by one idea: harmony.
The four groups of four
Our booklet page for the Zia designs sets out the same four groups. These are our house words, approved by T.Skies. They are not the Pueblo's words, but they match the four groups in the Pueblo's letter:
- Directions: North, East, South, West
- Phases of life: Infancy, Youth, Maturity, Aging
- Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
- Daily periods: Dawn, Daylight, Dusk, Night
The booklet describes the circle at the center this way: "These currents of life are bound by an endless circle in the middle - like all life revolves around the energy of the sun."
Whose symbol it is
The Zia sun belongs to the Pueblo of Zia. It isn't a Navajo symbol, and it isn't a general "Native American" one either. For the Pueblo's history and its pottery, read our older post, All About the Zia Pueblo. For how we handle symbols from other nations, see our guide to Native American symbols and what the sources say about them.
Our permission to use it
T.Skies uses the Zia sun symbol with permission from the Pueblo of Zia. The permission was originally granted by the late Governor Peter Pino and renewed with the Pueblo of Zia in 2026. Our booklet remembers him as a Governor who fought to raise awareness about the misuse of the sacred symbol.
We don't add meanings to the symbol. If you'd like a Zia piece made to order, ask us before you plan the design, so we can make sure it fits the permission we hold.
The Enchantment line
Our Enchantment line was designed in collaboration with the late Peter Pino, then Governor of the Pueblo of Zia. It includes Zia pendants, earrings and sets, some set with turquoise, and you can see them all in the Enchantment Zia jewelry. Enchantment is a T.Skies house line. We don't describe it as Navajo-made or Native-made because our pieces are not made by one artist — it's a team effort, and we don't believe in labeling our signature jewelry by our team's ethnicity with a blanket term like Native American. Even though most of the team is Native American, we are of mixed tribes and races. If you are interested in a specific artist or tribal affiliation, we do market jewelry as Native American on an artist-by-artist basis. For turquoise pieces across all our lines, see our turquoise jewelry.
What we don't say about the Zia symbol
You'll find a lot more written about the Zia sun than we've written here. Older versions of this page repeated some of it. We've taken those claims out because we can't source them:
- That each of the rays stands for one particular thing. The Pueblo's letter names the four groups, not a meaning for each ray.
- That the symbol is a tool for mindfulness, healing or prayer for the wearer.
- That every piece of Zia jewelry carries a blessing. Ours are made with permission. That is the claim we make.
- That the symbol comes from the Navajo or from Native Americans in general. It comes from the Pueblo of Zia.
If you want to know more about what the symbol means to the people of Zia, the Pueblo of Zia is the one to ask. We won't speak for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
For more on Southwest jewelry forms, stones and makers, see our Southwest Jewelry Guide.
What does the Zia symbol mean?
In the Pueblo of Zia's own words, the symbol represents "harmony and the interconnectedness of the four directions, the four seasons, the four stages of life, and the four parts of the day" (Pueblo of Zia, letter to Turquoise Skies Inc., 2025).
Is the Zia symbol Navajo?
No. The Zia sun belongs to the Pueblo of Zia in New Mexico. It isn't a Navajo symbol, and it isn't a general Native American one.
Does T.Skies have permission to use the Zia symbol?
Yes. T.Skies uses the Zia sun symbol with permission from the Pueblo of Zia. The permission was originally granted by the late Governor Peter Pino and renewed with the Pueblo of Zia in 2026.
Is it respectful for non-Native people to wear Zia jewelry?
We can't answer that for the Pueblo of Zia, and we won't guess. What we can tell you is where our pieces come from: they are made with the Pueblo's permission, and the Enchantment line was designed in collaboration with the late Peter Pino, then Governor of the Pueblo of Zia.
What is the Enchantment collection?
It is the T.Skies line of Zia jewelry, designed in collaboration with the late Peter Pino, then Governor of the Pueblo of Zia. It is a house line, not Native-made jewelry.
Sources
- Pueblo of Zia. Letter to Turquoise Skies Inc., September 19, 2025.
- T.Skies Jewelry. Zia booklet page (house copy).
