Traditional Navajo Rug Patterns

Navajo textiles are highly regarded and have been sought after as trade items for over 150 years.

Traditional navajo rug patterns.

The impetus behind this trend came primarily from anglo collectors traders and government agencies that had a sincere desire to upgrade the quality of navajo weaving and return to traditional pre rug patterns. The reversible jacquard has two dramatically different looks. The design s roots are in the traditional banded chief stripe pattern which evolved into a nine element layout. They included two gray hills teec nos pos ganado red dominated patterns with black and white crystal oriental and persian styles wide ruins chinlee banded geometric patterns klagetoh diamond type patterns red mesa and bold diamond patterns.

The colors are warm rich colors of brown mustard tan and rust accented by rose green blue lilac and white. Originating from the two grey hills trading post these navajo rugs are celebrated for their high quality and intricate patterns. As one expert expresses it classic navajo serapes at their finest equal the delicacy and sophistication of any pre mechanical loom woven textile in the world navajo textiles were or. The resulting rugs were not literal copies of older pieces but were creative variations on banded designs using a wide palette of newly developed vegetal dye colors made from indigenous plants as well as new subtly colored chemical dyes.

Navajo rugs and blankets are textiles produced by navajo people of the four corners area of the united states. Burntwater designs have similar characteristics to the two grey hills area but are woven using vegetal dye colors. Many of these navajo rug patterns exhibit a fourfold symmetry which is thought to embody traditional ideas about harmony. Commercial production of handwoven blankets and rugs has been an important element of the navajo economy.