The use of earrings dates back to prehistoric times, when beads were strung and tied through a pierced earlobe. Metal hoop earrings were common among Plains Indian Tribes and the Navajos likely borrowed the idea. The arrival of the Spanish brought new earring forms and Navajos soon developed silver wire earrings soldered to a single squash blossom bead. Earring forms changed drastically again with the introduction of stone setting techniques.