Navajo Weavings From Then and Now

According to Navajo legend, a deity named Spider Woman taught them weaving. According to history, Pueblo Indians introduced weaving to the Navajo. According to Sorrel Sky Gallery, there has never been a better time to add one of these handcrafted, one-of-a-kind Navajo weavings to your world. We offer both current and vintage textiles, with styles that include Teec Nos Pos, Two Grey Hills, Ganado, Germantown, and Crystal. Learn about some of these Navajo weavings and designs here, and explore more in person or at SorrelSky.com

The name Teec Nos Pos comes from a location of importance to the Navajo meaning Circle of Cottonwood Trees. Considered by many to be the most intricate and detailed of all Navajo designs, Teec Nos Pos Navajo weavings are often seen in two unique stylizations. One boasts elaborate geometric motifs and the other a collection of zig-zag patterns with distinct borders.

Navajo weavings from the Two Grey Hills area are typically a blend of natural brown, grey, white, and black wool, creating a calm, soothing palette. The tapestry-like quality of these weavings (80 weft threads to the inch to over 120) caused them to find their place on the walls of American homes, and they were soon recognized as fine art. Design patterns often seen in Two Grey Hills weavings include a border, four matching corner elements, and a large central full or belted diamond.

People often picture a Ganado weaving when they think of a Navajo rug. The popularity of the Ganado Navajo weaving design is due in part to Juan Lorenzo Hubbell, an important early trader whose home and operations were based at the Hubbell Trading Post (founded in 1878) near Ganado, Arizona. He was among the first of the traders to realize the commercial value of weaving and paid his weavers for quality work. Being partial to red, grey, black, and white, he encouraged them to use these colors, hence the name, Ganado Red. These weavings typically feature a large central motif and intricate geometric double or triple borders with diamond- or lozenge-shaped designs.