Native American Indian Rugs

American Indian weavings, predominantly Navajo rugs, have become an icon of the southwest. Wool from the sheep, inspiration from the land, woven by the hand, Navajo rugs are known worldwide for their quality.
The navajo rug did not start out as such. The Navajo wove blankets to keep warm. The Spanish first introduced sheep in the 17th century. The sheep became very important to the Navajo and are still considered a necessity in their culture. First the Churro

sheep of Spain, then the 'government' sheep of the United States, finally, a renewed interest in the Churro wool. As synthetically dyed cotton became for readily available through trading posts around the late 19th century the Navajo begin to use various colors and materials. Having a palette of colors made creating rugs easier. However, it was at the expense of the art. The shearing of the sheep, the carding of the wool, the twirling of the yarn, all became less and less popular as access to manufactured material became increased. Today there is a renewed interest in doing things the 'old' way and those rugs demand a premium.
Navajo rugs, unlike other pueblos, are typically woven by women. They still use the "vertical loom" that creates a very tight rug.
The designs are named after the area from which they are woven. There are many names, but some of the most popular include:

Burntwater Rugs: Usually vegetal dyes. The rugs are known for their muted tones in wavy horizontal lines.
Chief Rugs: Identified by size, they typically are woven with the weft vertical and the warp horizontal, a wider rug rather than a taller rug.
Chinle Rugs: More information coming soon.
Crystal Rugs: Similar to Burntwater Rugs, Crystal Rugs typically have a pattern (for instance, diamonds) overlayed onto the wavy horizontal lines.
Eye Dazzler Rugs: Known for their wavy and very colorful (as opposed to muted tones) commercial dyed wools.
Ganado Rugs: Beautiful natural greys as a backdrop for colorful red woven patterns.
Klagetoh Rugs: Similar to a Ganado Rug, the Klagetoh is often characterized by sharp angular patterns on a red background.
Pictorial Rugs: Usually of an everyday scene, it may have trucks, hogans, sheep, and other reservation entities to create a woven 'snapshot.'
Two Grey Hills Rugs: Typically all natural wool, a dual 'diamond' represents two hills in the rug.
Yei and Yei-Bei-Chi Rugs: Representations of spirits that are typically used in ceremonies. Most weavers 'nullify' the rugs by ensuring they leave out an important symbol or intentionally make a mistake.

A testament to the quality woven by Navajo weavers, Navajo rugs from the late 1800's still exist.

Navajo weavers are not alone. The Hopi weave kilts, sash belts, and mantas. Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest wove clothes and chilkat blankets of cedar and goat fibers.