Wearing Blanket

Diné (Navajo) artists wove geometric designs that reference the natural environment as well as embody spiritual insights and meanings. Specific patterns were inherited but also evolved over time. This blanket was created during the late 1800s, when weavers in the Southwest began to shift from making garments for Indigenous use, including trade, to additionally create items for non-Native collectors. In this new market, traditional wearing blankets, which were worn around the shoulders, were purchased as rugs.