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These blankets were highly prized trade items for tribes that didn't have their own weaving traditions. Even back then, Navajo blankets weren't affordable, so it was difficult for tribe members to afford one. Plains cultures valued Navajo blankets, especially for their warmth and comfort. One way to identify a man riding on horseback wearing one these weavings is by the design of his blanket, before his features become visible. The Navajo tradition of weaving blankets was that they were worn by Navajo for approximately 50 years. The advent of mechanical weaving technologies and the availability of affordable blankets, such as those manufactured by Pendleton Woolen Mills, marked the end to the era.
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In the process, they drew out specific concepts and motifs, re-synthesizing them into distinctly Navajo designs. Motifs probably derived from oriental rugs include repeated hook shapes (often called “latch hooks”), the “waterbug” shaped like an “X” with a bar through the middle, the “airplane” or T-shape with rounded ends and, in a small number of weavings, rosettes. An even more lasting and fundamental influence was the concept of a large central motif in one, two or three parts that covers almost all of the ground between the borders.
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They knew everything about eye-catching and beautiful design. Many of them even added their personal touch to the rug's overall design. Sometimes, a symbol is all that's needed to add personal flair. You'll see lightning bolts or sun rays, crosses and triangles among other shapes and designs. These all have a meaning. This tells us what the weaver was thinking when they started weaving the rug. It is what makes these rugs unique.
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Rugs woven in the Ukraine will be good reproductions of Navajo rug designs. The sides selvages have bundled warps and the ends will be nicely hand serged. These rugs are really flatwoven rugs with southwestern or Navajo style designs. Unfortunately they are often sold as the genuine article in Indian arts stores.
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According to another author sniffing the rug to check if it is wool is not a good idea. Many contemporary Navajo rugs made of wool have very little lanolin. Older rugs may be dirty or have other odors. It's quite amusing to watch potential buyers peruse a store's inventory, smelling the rugs. The buyer must be able differentiate between wool and other materials. There are scientific ways to test wool, but these are rarely practical for rug purchases from Indian art dealers or stores. Zapotec or other Mexican knockoffs have often wide end borders. They also include end cords. These are added after the rug's woven. As previously mentioned, the warp ends are buried next to the cut warp edges. It should be noted, however, that many knockoffs are made from designs taken directly out of books. Number one in the production of fake Navajo rugs is Zapotec. Teotitlan de Valle (Zapotec Rugs) is where most of their industry is concentrated. They specialize in making knock-offs and fakes. They create the most convincing fakes, and they make the highest quality.


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Navajo rug ID begins with the ability to recognize some basic regional characteristics. It is important to remember, however, that every rug, like it's weaver, is an individual. The process of weaving, to the Navajo, is a spiritual one. Each weaver puts her (or occasionally, his) soul and creative energy into the weaving of a rug. Though it may have a characteristic regional design, it will be the interpretation of the weaver that will make that rug its own enduring piece of art. While basic knowledge of regional characteristics is useful in the study of Navajo rug ID, in the Navajo nation today a rug with a regional name such as Two Grey Hills may have actually been woven by a weaver from a completely different region.
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The price of a Navajo rug is determined by several factors, including the fineness of the yarn, the design, and its size. Traditionally, Navajo rugs were woven on the same simple loom for over 300 years. Their intricate, balanced designs are testimony to the weaver’s skill. Though reproductions are often made in Mexico, they are still recognizable as Navajo rugs.
