Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 2007-0001-0035   CAS 2007-0001-0035; Blanket
Category Textiles
Object Name Blanket
Culture Navajo and English
Global Region North America (Europe)
Country USA (England / Great Britain)
State/Prov./Dist. Arizona (England)
County
Other Geographic Data Navajo Indian Reservation area (Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire)
Maker's Name Anthony L. Shuffrey
Date of Manufacture 1985
Collection Name N/A
Materials Warp: Commercial cotton yarn; Weft: Commercial English Craftsman’s Mark wool yarns’ Indigo dye; Aniline Turkey Red dye purchased on Navajo Indian Reservation
Description 3rd-Phase Navajo-style Chief’s blanket, woven in tapestry weave, with a typical 9-spot design layout consisting of a large red terraced diamond with Spider Woman’s cross in the center, and a similar half diamond located at the top and bottom center of the blanket and a quarter diamond in each of the corners; The quarter diamonds differ in that they contain a series of parallel blue lines instead of the cross; All of these design motifs are positioned along wide horizontal bands that, in turn, are composed of alternating natural dark brown/black and dark blue bands, with the latter outlined in bright red; Areas between these design bands are filled with alternating white and natural brown/black bands which actually form the overall background; Twining and selvage cords are woven of matching and contrasting dark blue yarns, respectively; This blanket is copied after an historic blanket in the collection of the Museum of Northern Arizona (catalog # E9282).
Dimensions (cm) Width = 172.5, Length = 153.0