“The Blanket Weaver” - A Navajo woman weaving under a cottonwood tree in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona
ca. 1905

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Navajo are the second most populous of all Native American peoples in the United States, with some 300,000 individuals. At some point before colonization the Navajo and Apache migrated to the Southwest from Canada, although the exact timing of the relocation is unknown, it is thought to have been between 1100 and 1500 CE. These early Navajo were mobile hunters and gatherers; after moving to the Southwest, however, they adopted many of the practices of the sedentary, farming Pueblo Indians near whom they settled.

One of these practices was weaving. Today Navajo textiles are highly regarded and have been sought after as trade items for over 150 years. Navajo textiles were originally utilitarian blankets for use as cloaks, dresses, saddle blankets, or as a “door” at the entrance of their homes. Toward the end of the 19th century, weavers began to make rugs for tourism and export. Typical Navajo textiles have strong geometric patterns, like the one we see pictured above.

The woman in the photo is sitting in Canyon de Chelly, known for its smooth, deep and branched sandstone canyon walls. Shaped by million years of water erosion, the walls may look barren but inside the canyon the water flows have nourished the soil which let the natives grow corn and peaches. Cottonwood still grow there.

Canyon de Chelly during rainfall. It is these streams of water that has given the canyon shape.

Spider Rock, sacred to the Navajo and can be found deep in Canyon de Chelly.

Some of you might remember the famous clip of a soft-spoken old man who brought his family heirloom rug to an Antiques Roadshow. He had no way of knowing it was an incredibly rare Navajo blanket! It's a short interesting watch.