F-0-78 Navajo Yei rug.
The Navajo are an Athabaskan speaking people belonging to the Nadene linguistic family and refer to themselves as the “Dene” which means “the people”. Like their close relations, the Apache, they migrated in ancient times from the far northern Canadian interior into what is now the southwestern United States. They have the largest reservation in the country, which is also their traditional homeland, encompassing parts of southeast Utah, northeast Arizona and northwest New Mexico. The Navajo first learned to weave from the Pueblo peoples and originally obtained their sheep from the Spanish settlers either in trade or from raiding. There are three basic periods to Navajo weaving, the classic blanket period (1800-1870), the transitional period (1870-1895) and the rug period (1895- present). This rug is a classic Yei rug with stick-like renditions of the Navajo gods or Yei. Of average weave, it is visually superb with wonderful details of kilts, concha belts, necklaces and feathers. Some unusual features are the use of a vegetal green dye and an unusual dark rust color background which sets the Yei figures off quite strongly.
48 1/2 inches long by 29 1/4 inches wide. Circa 1930. $2,450.00