Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number CAS 2013-0003-0039   CAS 2013-0003-0039; Rug
Category Textiles
Object Name Rug
Culture Navajo
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. Arizona, New Mexico
County
Other Geographic Data Navajo Indian Reservation
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1890s
Collection Name Donaldson
Materials Warp: Cotton string; Weft: 4-ply Germantown wool; Aniline dyes (red, light and dark green, yellow, navy blue)
Description Rectangular Germantown rug woven entirely in plain weft-faced tapestry technique with non-interlocking joins; Design consists of two serrated vertical zigzag lines (white, navy blue, and yellow) extending up the center of rug, forming two open diamonds that enclose a stack of open dark green diamonds, and two open half diamonds at either end that enclose a white and light green terraced concentric diamond; Three open serrated diamond shapes (light green, yellow, and dark green) extend in from each side; Background of design field is red; Sides of rug are framed by a border of juxtaposed yellow and navy blue triangles; At each end, the rug is framed by an interior navy blue band with a row of small yellow triangles along the actual design field, and finally a plain red band that extends across the entire width of the rug; Along the one intact end, traces of blue and yellow yarn fringes can still be seen; Design on the side border is slightly different at each corner; Selvage and end cords are maroon.
Dimensions (cm) Width = 98.0, Length = 131.3 (as is)