Navajo Chief Blankets - An Abridged History Lesson



First Phase Cheif Blanket on the
Antiques Roadshow in Tuscon, AZ in 2002

I love the Antiques Roadshow.  In 2002, I saw what I still consider to be the BEST episode ever.  A humble looking man brought in an old blanket that he was curious about.  His grandmother had told him that it had been a gift to her foster parents from the legendary Kit Carson, so he believed it might have some value due to the lineage.  When the appraiser saw it for the first time, he nearly hyperventilated!  It was a pristine First Phase Ute Chief Blanket and he gave it a conservative value of $350,000 – Kit Carson or no.  Needless to say, the owner of the blanket was shocked.  To kick off my very own Trash or Treasure Traveling Rug Show, I decided that I should pay homage to the episode that planted the seed: Antiques Roadshow - First Phase Chief Blanket Surprise

An abridged history lesson:

Cheif Blanket as it
Should Be Worn

Blanket weaving was a learned skill.  The Navajo people picked it up from the Spanish settlers and from their neighbors, the Pueblos.  Eventually, their skill far surpassed that of their teachers and the “Classic Period” was born. Even though the Navajo didn't have chiefs of their own, they made blankets for the Ute, Cheyenne and Sioux chiefs to wear. They were expensive and were much lighter than animal hides. The quality was very impressive – almost waterproof because they were woven so tightly, and the bold stripes wrapped around the chief made him look quite imposing. 



This “First Phase” weaving period lasted from approximately 1750 until the internment of 8000 Navajo people at Fort Sumner in 1864.  The 300 mile “Long Walk of the Navajo” killed hundreds while on the journey and even more died in the prison camps. When they were finally released to their homelands four years later, the Navajo people discovered that their homes had been razed, their fields had been burned and their sheep had been killed.

Weaving a Third Phase Blanket
in a Modern Era

By about 1850, the Navajo weavers, aided by the westward trains and a more open trade philosophy, began a “Second Phase” of blanket weaving and then an overlapping “Third Phase.”  These later phases are differentiated from the First Phase by color, design motifs, the use of synthetic dyes, and wool quality. When large trading posts began to dot the region around 1890, the weavers segued from blankets to rugs.  Tourists would pay more money for an intricately patterned, quality rug.  Now there are many different types of Navajo rugs and they are typically valued at more money per square foot than even the finest Persian rugs.

The different Phases at a glance:

1^st Phase:
*basic striped pattern
*blue, black, brown, ivory

2^nd Phase:
*slightly more complicated striped pattern
*addition of red bars in the center and corners



3^rd Phase:
*complex wavy lines hidden in the striped pattern
*addition of serrated diamonds and triangles in the center and corners

If you would like more information on my Trash or Treasure Traveling Rug Show or if you have any questions for me to answer, I can be contacted by email: Lynn@rugadvocate.com