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The
Navajo reservation is the largest reservation in the country. It
is spread out over many miles and consists of vast high deserts
and well as mountains and canyons. The Navajos have been weaving
rugs or blankets for about 300 years. The classic period became
the transitional period around 1868 when traders came to the reservation
to trade with the Indians. Trading posts began to proliferate
on the Navajo Reservation around the turn of the century. One of
the most historic is the Hubbell Trading Post near Ganado. This
helped to create the regional styles which have helped to define
the look of the Navajo rug. When a rug is described, the term
used very often will be the area or in the past, the trading post.
The artists from Wide Ruins, Chinle, and Pine Springs typically
use native vegetal dyes. In the Two Grey Hills area, very
fine greys, browns, whites and blacks are used. The Ganado and Klagatoh
areas are famous for their predominantly red rugs. Other types
of Navajo rugs are Sand Painting rugs, Yeibechai rugs, Pictorials
and Storm Patterns. Hand spun and home-dyed wool was common
in earlier days but most Navajo rugs now make use of commercially
dyed yarns or a combination of hand spun or natural wool colors
and commercially spun yarn. When assessing a rug, look for
straight edges that line up when folded, even straight designs and
an even, tight weaving
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