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A watershed in Navajo weaving came in the 1860s with the incarceration of about 8000 men, women and children at Bosque Redondo reservation in eastern New Mexico. In an effort to subdue and “domesticate” the Indians, the US Army slaughtered the Navajo’s sheep and destroyed their crops and homes. The government allowed weaving to continue during the internment by replacing the Navajo’s home-grown wool with factory-made yarns from Europe and the eastern United States.

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The Burntwater style is newer and is basically an expansionof the traditional TwoGrey Hillsdesigns by weavers in the Wide Ruins/Burntwater area south of Gando. The second type of rug for Navajo rug ID are the 3 styles of banded rugs--Chinle, Wide Ruins, and Crystal. The Chinle style is the simplest of the 3 styles. There arestrips of plain color alternating with bands containing repeated geometricdesigns. These can include squash blossoms, stacked chevrons, and diamonds, andmay even have railroad tracks. Chinle is in the geographic center of the Reservation andwas thus a crossroad for travel and commerce.

Another way to check the authenticity of the Navajo rug is to look for lazy lines. Lazy lines appear as a diagonal line in the weave of the fabric. During the weaving process, the rug maker would move to work on adjacent sections of the warp, resulting in the subtle diagonal lines referred to as lazy lines. These lines would be almost impossible to detect by looking at a photograph of the rug online.

symbol meanings on native american rugs

symbol meanings on native american rugs

J. Sublette, Navajo textile expert. Mark Sublette explains the reasons why Navajo blankets have such a high value. It boils down to three factors: rarity, scarcity, and artistry. Navajo blankets, an older version of Navajo weavings that were made between 1840-1890, are an older type. These textiles were soft and drapable and could be wrapped around the body to be worn. They are commonly called "wearing blankets". Note: Saddle blankets are a smaller, thicker type, but they don't have the same value as a wearing blanket. Even at their peak production, Navajo weavings proved difficult to find. It took a weaver as long as a year to create a blanket, not counting the time it took to raise the sheep to make the wool.

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From the 1880s through the 1930s, reservation traders were the Navajos’ primary contact with the outside world. As such, they also were the weavers’ primary-or even sole-customers. Therefore traders exercised significant influence on weavings simply by paying more for the designs, sizes, colors, and qualities they wanted. Of course, trader’s choices were driven by what they thought they could sell to their off-reservation customers, but they also were guided by their own aesthetic sensibilities. As a result, distinctive styles of rugs emerged around several trading posts in the first years of the twentieth century. Such combinations of pattern and color are known as Regional Styles and are typically named after the trading post that encouraged their production.

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what native american clan weavers used birds in the rugs
what native american clan weavers used birds in the rugs

J.Sublette, Navajo textile authority, explains why Navajo blankets are so valuable. Mark Sublette explains how Navajo blankets can be so valuable. The three main factors that make Navajo blankets so valuable are scarcity and rarity. Navajo blankets were an older form of Navajo weavings. They were produced between 1840-1890. These textiles could be wrapped around your body and worn, and were soft and drapable. While saddle blankets are more collectible than a wearing blanket, they are not as expensive. Even at peak production, Navajo weavings weren't easy to find. A blanket can take up to one year to weave, not counting the time required to raise the sheep and make the wool.

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These are small, loosely woven, pictorial mats meant for the tourist trade and woven in Gallup, New Mexico. They were small, inexpensive and easy to transport, making them popular souvenirs for visits to the Navajo Nation. Gentle scrubbing continues. Note the wringer in the background-the next step in the washing process after rinsing. After thorough rinsing, the rug is sent slowly and carefully through the wringer to take out as much of the water as possible before being hung on racks in the drying room. Learn all about antique Native American Art while having fun! Joining Red Mesa Gallery News gets you your Navajo Rug checklist, monthly updates, offers and promotions re all things antique native american art. Quit anytime!

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Just send us an email with your order number and we’ll send you instructions.  We will give you a full refund within the first 60 days after your order ships out.  After that, we have to charge a 25% restocking fee. You are responsible for return shipping fees unless you are swapping for a different design or size.
As soon as your order ships, you will receive an email with tracking info and then following emails with shipping updates.
Yes! We can ship anywhere in the world. Please send us an email with your address before placing an order outside of the US and Canada though. We need to partially charge you for shipping when you place your order.
We find rug pads are not necessary to protect your flooring. However, some people choose to use rug pads to prevent their rug from sliding around.
Yes, please let us know within 3 days from when you placed your order.
We accept all major credit or debit cards. You can also pay with your PayPal account.
All of our rugs are made to order and go through a rigorous inspection process. You can typically expect your rug to be shipped 2 weeks from when you make your purchase.