Questions and answers

How much is my Navajo rug worth?

How much is my Navajo rug worth?

The value of a Navajo rug will depend on a few factors, such as how large it is, how old it is, how tight the weaving is, the style, what dyes were used, and what condition it is in. Navajo rugs can range anywhere from $100 for a small one, to several thousand dollars for a large and old one.

What is a Yei rug?

Yeis & Yei Be Chais Rugs Yei is the Navajo name for a deity or a holy one. The Yeis are woven facing outward. They are usually depicted with long bodies and skirts and hold sacred plants or symbols. Most Yeis are depicted as female with square shaped heads but less commonly the round headed males are woven.

How did the Navajo make rugs?

Navajo Culture According to Navajo tradition, they were taught to weave by two holy ones: Spider Man and Spider Woman. The legend says that Spider Man created the loom of sunshine, lightning and rain, while Spider Woman taught the Navajo how to weave it. Navajo woman using a vertical, or upright loom.

Do authentic Navajo rugs have fringe?

Almost all Navajo rugs are made from wool threads, which appear rougher in texture than cotton or linen. Fringe and ridges along the edge of the rug typically indicate a fake. Warp threads that have been cut and run back into the rug will create ridges on the ends. Almost all Navajo rugs are made without fringe.

Do all Navajo rugs have a spirit line?

Not every Navajo weaving contains lazy lines. When the Navajo weaver works on a rug, she puts her soul, her energy, her spirit into it. When the weaving is completed, the belief is the energy and spirit woven into the rug must be released so the weaver will have the energy and spirit to continue weaving other rugs.

What is a Navajo blanket?

Navajo rugs and blankets (Navajo: diyogí) are textiles produced by Navajo people of the Four Corners area of the United States. They are a flat tapestry-woven textile produced in a fashion similar to kilims of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, but with some notable differences.

What are Navajo rugs made out of?

Mid-19th century Navajo rugs often used a three-ply yarn called Saxony, which refers to high-quality, naturally dyed, silky yarns. Red tones in Navajo rugs of this period come either from Saxony or from a raveled cloth known in Spanish as bayeta, which was a woolen manufactured in England.

What is a Navajo rug weaver?

Navajo textiles were originally utilitarian blankets for use as cloaks, dresses, saddle blankets, and similar purposes. Toward the end of the 19th century, weavers began to make rugs for tourism and export. Typical Navajo textiles have strong geometric patterns.