Navajo rugs and blankets (Navajo: diyogí) are textiles produced by Navajo people of the Four Corners area of the United States. Navajo textiles are highly regarded and have been sought after as trade items for over 150 years. Commercial production of handwoven blankets and rugs has been an important element of the Navajo economy. As one expert expresses it, "Classic Navajo serapes at their finest equal the delicacy and sophistication of any pre-mechanical loom-woven textile in the world."
Navajo textiles were originally utilitarian blankets for use as cloaks, dresses, saddle blankets, and similar purposes. Toward the end of the 19th century, weavers began to make rugs for tourism and export. Typical Navajo textiles have strong geometric patterns. They are a flat tapestry-woven textile produced in a fashion similar to kilims of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, but with some notable differences. In Navajo weaving, the slit weave technique common in kilims is not used, and the warp is one continuous length of yarn, not extending beyond the weaving as fringe. Traders from the late 19th and early 20th century encouraged adoption of some kilim motifs into Navajo designs.
First phase (1800-1850)[ edit ]
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, 1840-1860
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
label QS:Len,"Bayeta wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Bayeta Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1840
date QS:P,+1840-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1840
date QS:P,+1840-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1840
date QS:P,+1840-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1850
date QS:P,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas.
label QS:Len,"Bayeta Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Bayeta Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1850
date QS:P,+1850-60-00T00:00:00Z/10,P1480,Q5727902
Bowers Museum, Santa Ana
Second phase (1810-1870)[ edit ]
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, 1855-1860
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1865-1872
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa ?
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1855
date QS:P,+1855-65-00T00:00:00Z/10,P1480,Q5727902
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa ?
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1850
date QS:P,+1850-65-00T00:00:00Z/10,P1480,Q5727902
Art Institute Chicago
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Third phase (1860-1880)[ edit ]
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1865
date QS:P,+1865-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, 1865-1870
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1880
date QS:P,+1880-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Art Institute Chicago
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1880
date QS:P,+1880-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Art Institute Chicago
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Germantown Chief Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa late 19. century
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Fourth phase (1870-1900)[ edit ]
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1870
date QS:P,+1870-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1880
date QS:P,+1880-85-00T00:00:00Z/10,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1890
date QS:P,+1890-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Late Classic Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Transitional Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Transitional Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Transitional Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Transitional Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Transitional Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Transitional Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Late Classic Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Late Classic Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Transitional Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Transitional Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Eyedazzler Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Eyedazzler Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Transitional Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Transitional Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Transitional Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Transitional Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Eyedazzler Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Eyedazzler Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, circa 1865
date QS:P,+1865-70-00T00:00:00Z/10,P1480,Q5727902
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
label QS:Len,"Wearing blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, 1860-70
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
label QS:Len,"Wearing blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, circa 1870
date QS:P,+1870-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
label QS:Len,"Banded wearing blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, circa 1880
date QS:P,+1880-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
label QS:Len,"Wearing blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, 1875
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
label QS:Len,"Wearing blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, 1860-70
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Navajo or Pueblo (Zuni) wearing blanket with Moki (Moqui) Stripes
label QS:Len,"Navajo or Pueblo (Zuni) wearing blanket with Moki (Moqui) Stripes"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró (moqui) csíkokkal"
, 1865-75
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
Late Classic Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Late Classic Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Wearing blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, circa late 19 century
Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit.
label QS:Len,"Wearing blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, circa 1870
date QS:P,+1870-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit.
label QS:Len,"Saddle blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Nyereg takaró"
, 1860-1870
Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit.
label QS:Len,"Wearing blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, circa 1900
date QS:P,+1900-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Transitional Wearing blanket
label QS:Len,"Transitional Wearing blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Serape"
label QS:Lhu,"Vállendő"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Serape"
label QS:Lhu,"Vállendő"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Serape"
label QS:Lhu,"Vállendő"
, circa 1860
date QS:P,+1860-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Serape"
label QS:Lhu,"Vállendő"
, circa 1866
date QS:P,+1866-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Serape"
label QS:Lhu,"Vállendő"
, 1840-1850
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
label QS:Len,"Serape"
label QS:Lhu,"Vállendő"
, circa 1865
date QS:P,+1865-70-00T00:00:00Z/10,P1480,Q5727902
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
label QS:Len,"Serape"
label QS:Lhu,"Vállendő"
, circa 1865
date QS:P,+1865-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Second Phase Woman's Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Second Phase Woman's Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, 1870
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
Second Phase Woman's Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Second Phase Woman's Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, 1875-1900
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Second Phase Woman's Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Second Phase Woman's Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, circa 1880's
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Third phase woman Blanket
label QS:Len,"Third phase woman Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, 1875-1880
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas
label QS:Len,"Woman Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, 1885-1900
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas
Second Phase Woman's Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Second Phase Woman's Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Woman's Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Transitional Woman's Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Transitional Woman's Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Transitional Woman's Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Transitional Woman's Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Woman's Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Woman's Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Woman's Wearing Blanket or manta
label QS:Len,"Woman's Wearing Blanket or manta"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Manta"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, circa 1875-1900
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Woman's Shoulder Twill-Woven Blanket
label QS:Len,"Woman's Shoulder Twill-Woven Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Női takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Classic Child Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Gyerek takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Classic Child Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Gyerek takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Late Classic Child Blanket
label QS:Len,"Late Classic Child Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Gyerek takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Late Classic Child Blanket
label QS:Len,"Late Classic Child Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Gyerek takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Late Classic Child Blanket
label QS:Len,"Late Classic Child Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Gyerek takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Saddle Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Nyereg takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Saddle Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Nyereg takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Saddle Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Nyereg takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Saddle Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Nyereg takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Germantown Saddle Blanket
label QS:Len,"Germantown Saddle Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Germantown Nyereg takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Saddle Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Nyereg takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Szőnyeg"
, 1890
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
Rug (Woman's Wearing Blanket Style)
label QS:Len,"Rug (Woman's Wearing Blanket Style)"
label QS:Lhu,"Szőnyeg"
, 1895-1905
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
label QS:Len,"Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Szőnyeg"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Main category:
Chief blankets
First Phase Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"First Phase Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, 1840-1860
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
First Phase Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"First Phase Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1840
date QS:P,+1840-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Second Phase Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Second Phase Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, 1855-1860
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Third Phase Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Third Phase Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, 1865-1870
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Fourth Phase Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Fourth Phase Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Törzsfőnök takaró"
, circa 1865
date QS:P,+1865-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Hubbell Ganado Rug with Whirling Logs
label QS:Len,"Hubbell Ganado Rug with Whirling Logs"
label QS:Lhu,"Ganado Szőnyeg"
, circa 1900
date QS:P,+1900-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Ganado Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Ganado Szőnyeg"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Klagetoh Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Klagetoh Szőnyeg"
, circa 1930
date QS:P,+1930-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Palm Springs Art Museum
Eyedazzler Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Eyedazzler Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Eyedazzler Wearing Blanket
label QS:Len,"Eyedazzler Wearing Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Teec Nos Pos Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Teec Nos Pos szőnyeg"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Storm Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Vihar takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Storm Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Vihar takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Pictorial Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Szőnyeg vTakaró"
, circa 1920
date QS:P,+1920-30-00T00:00:00Z/10,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Germantown Pictorial Blanket
label QS:Len,"Germantown Pictorial Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Germantown Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Pictorial Blanket"
label QS:Lhu,"Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Sandpainting Blanket or Rug
label QS:Len,"Sandpainting Blanket or Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Képes Takaró"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Sandpainting Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Képes Szőnyeg"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Mountain Shooting Way Rug
label QS:Len,"Mountain Shooting Way Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Mountain Shooting Way szőnyeg"
, circa 1940
date QS:P,+1940-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Yei Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Yei szőnyeg"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Yei Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Yei szőnyeg"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Yei Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Yei szőnyeg"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Yeibichai Lukachukai Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Yeibichai Lukachukai Navaho szőnyeg"
, circa 1920
date QS:P,+1920-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
label QS:Len,"Yeibichai Lukachukai Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Yeibichai Lukachukai Navaho szőnyeg"
, circa 1930
date QS:P,+1930-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717
Yeibichai Teec Nos Pos Rug
label QS:Len,"Yeibichai Teec Nos Pos Rug"
label QS:Lhu,"Yeibichai Teec Nos Pos Navaho szőnyeg"
, Unknown date
Private collection institution QS:P195,Q768717