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Navaho
Chief's Blanket, Phase 1
North America
ca. 1850
Although
blankets such as this carry the name "Chief's Blanket"
they never designated the rank of the wearer, nor even
the gender. The blankets were created from fine, expensive
materials and ownership indicated that the wearer was
wealthy. They were worn by many tribes in the American
Southwest and traded to groups in the mountain West
and Plains.
Indigo
was introduced into the Southwest in the early 1600s.
It came from two Indigofera species, tinctoria
and anil, the latter common to tropical America.
It continued to be an article of trade to the Navaho
during the 1700s. After the Santa Fe Trail opened in
1821 American traders became active, and later the U.S.
government issued indigo to the Pueblo and Navaho in
significant quantities. Synthesized indigo became available
by 1897, but the Indians did not respond positively
to this and gradually blue almost disappeared from Navaho
weaving.
Warp:
wool. Weft: wool. Weft-faced plain weave
The Textile Museum 1976.30.3, gift of Col. F.M. Johnson,
Jr.
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