YOUR RIGHTS AS A CONSUMER

If you think a business or individual is selling a nonauthentic Indian art or craft product, the action may be 

in violation of both federal and State laws regulating 

the industry.

For more information, or to file a complaint, contact the

IACB at the address below, or visit the IACB website at:

www.doi.gov/iacb

INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD

U.S. Department of the Interior

1849 C Street, NW, MS 2528-MIB

Washington, D.C. 20240

1-888-278-3253

1-202-208-5196 (fax)

iacb@ios.doi.gov

TWO GREY HILLS - A bordered rug using tones of 

white, brown and black, which includes an array of 

geometric groupings. A classic design with high weft 

counts. Two Grey Hills weavings contain two geometric 

diamonds in the middle and four corner design blocks. 

Larger weavings will have middle side design blocks.

STORM PATTERN - A rectangle in the center of the 

rug represents the center of the storm. Zigzagging 

lines symbolize lightning bolts, which flow to smaller 

rectangles in the four corners of the rug. There is 

usually a water bug and snowflake design between 

two corners with a sacred arrow on the side.

SHOP WISELY...TIPS FOR BUYING

u Research before you purchase. Familiarize yourself 

with the styles and types of Navajo weavings, 

and the materials and other indicators of a wellmade, handcrafted weaving. There are many 

websites and books about Navajo (Diné) weaving 

that can provide additional guidance, including 

Navajo Textiles: The Crane Collection at the 

Denver Museum of Nature & Science (2017).

u If you are unable to purchase a weaving directly from 

a weaver, it is important to buy from a reputable dealer 

or gallery. They will provide you a written guarantee or 

written verification of authenticity. They will also know:

- The age of the weaving.

- Whether it is a traditional or contemporary weaving, and 

the differences between them.

- The design of the weaving and some history of the 

design.

u Be aware of terms like “Navajo inspired” or 

“Navajo designed,” as these terms usually 

indicate a non-authentic weaving.

u Get a receipt that includes the price, weaver’s 

name, and weaver’s tribal affiliation (i.e., Navajo).

u Realize that authentic handmade pieces may be 

expensive. If the price seems too good to be true, be 

sure to ask more questions about the item and maker.

In the imported blanket (A), the edge cordage consists 

of one twisted braid of yarn attached at the corner 

(see arrow). An obvious ridge can be seen where 

the warps were sewn back into the weaving and 

the warps and wefts are very coarse. In authentic 

Navajo blankets (B), edge cordage should consist of 

four to six strands of two to three-ply yarn woven 

into the body of the textile (see arrow). Edge cordage 

should be present on all corners of a Navajo rug.

BALANCE AND BEAUTY

Navajos practice Hózhó, a state of order, and this concept 

informs their way of life. They do not separate the arts, 

culture, religion/spirituality, daily life, or their connection 

to the earth, because all of these things are Hózhó.

Navajos strive for the four values of life: u The value held for life itself. u Their work—for weavers, it is weaving. u Their family, extended family, friends, 

and communal relationships.

u Their views of growing, acquiring 

and passing on knowledge. 

HOW TO BUY AUTHENTIC NAVAJO (DINÉ) WEAVINGS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR · INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD

The IACB sincerely thanks Joyce Begay-Foss (Diné) and Kathy M’Closkey 

for their invaluable input towards the production of this publication. 

Publication of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, October 2017

A

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B
NAVAJO REGIONAL STYLES

Popular traditional weaving designs include:

GANADO - The central motif is usually a bold 

diamond or cross. A deep red is very prominent in 

every rug, although some modern rugs use burgundy 

and multiple shades of grey, instead of red.

YEI - A colorful weaving that depicts Navajo 

ceremonial figures, but it has no religious 

connotation. It is usually small-to-moderate in 

size and the figures are tall and slender.

YEIBECHAI - A bordered rug, usually illustrating 

Navajo dancers impersonating Yei figures. It is 

colorful and small-to-moderate in size.

TEEC NOS POS - A colorful, busy, and intricate rug 

using zigzags, serrated diamonds, triangles, and boxes. 

Bright colors such as green, blue, orange and red 

may be used in small amounts throughout the rug.

CRYSTAL - A rug featuring bordered designs with 

crosses, diamonds, terraces, hook and fork patterns, 

along with whirling logs and arrows. Modern rugs 

are borderless and use earth-tone colors. The 

rug’s pattern features stripes and bands with an 

intervening “wavy line” of contrasting colors.

NAVAJO WEAVINGS

Authentic Navajo weavings may be either traditional or 

contemporary in style and materials. Traditional Navajo 

weavings use 100% wool warp and weft yarns, and are 

hand-woven on vertical upright looms with continuous 

warps. The weft and warp yarns of traditional weavings 

may be handspun or commercially spun, and the weft 

may be vegetal or aniline dyed. Side selvages (edge 

cordages) are used, and edge cordages appear on the 

top and bottom of these textiles. Contemporary Navajo 

weavings may incorporate a variety of wools or yarns, 

as well as designs influenced by both modern life and 

traditional family designs. Contemporary weavings are 

usually made on vertical upright looms with continuous 

warps or (rarely) woven on horizontal looms.

INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS ACT

Under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (Act) of 1990, 

it is illegal to market any art or craftwork created 

after 1935 as “Indian,” “Native American,” “Alaska 

Native,” or as the product of a particular Indian tribe 

if it has not been made by a member of a federally 

or officially State recognized tribe, or by an individual 

who is certified by an Indian tribe of their direct 

lineal descent as a nonmember Indian artisan.

For example, a rug or blanket advertised as “Navajo” 

that is not produced by a member of the Navajo Nation 

would be in violation of the Act. The Indian Arts and Crafts 

Board (IACB) offers this brochure to provide guidance on 

identifying an authentic Navajo (Diné) blanket or rug.

NAVAJO (DINÉ) WEAVING HISTORY

Navajos believe that Spider Woman, one of their 

most important deities, gave the gift of weaving to all 

Navajo people. For hundreds of years, weaving has 

thrived in the American Southwest, especially in the 

Four Corners area (New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and 

Colorado), where the Navajo pastured their sheep. The 

earliest Navajo weavings were traditional textiles—

Chief blankets, shoulder blankets, women’s dress, 

and children’s blankets. These early textiles were 

woven on vertical upright looms, and warp and weft 

yarns were finely handspun in natural wool colors, 

including off-white, black, brown, and grey. Additional 

yarn colors were limited to native dye plants, and 

most reds were respun from unraveled bayeta trade 

cloth. In the mid-1800s, aniline dyes and Germantown 

yarns became available to weavers through trade, 

and the color palette increased significantly.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

The following information may help you with identifying 

a Navajo weaving:

u The highest quality Navajo weaving, which is the 

most expensive, features natural handspun yarn 

and vegetal dyes, is uniform in size, lies flat, and 

has warp and weft selvages (edge cordage).

u Navajo blankets are finely woven and generally 

lighter in weight than imports. A lighter weaving 

weight (i.e., blanket weight) could indicate both 

the fineness and authenticity of the rug. A good 

Navajo weaving has 30 or more wefts per inch—

the more wefts per inch, the finer the piece.

u Navajo rugs are typically woven of handcarded, handspun, and single-ply wool yarn.

u Non-authentic Navajo-inspired weavings, or “knockoffs,” are frequently woven on horizontal looms by 

weavers living outside of the United States, or are 

machine-made. These weavings may have double 

ridges every two to four inches on the top and bottom, 

as the warps are sewn back in. The warp and weft 

yarns are often coarse, or mixed with acrylic yarns.

Whether you are in search of a treasured memory of your visit to Indian Country, or you are an avid collector of Indian art and craftwork, you want to 

know that a Navajo (Diné) textile is authentic. Having some knowledge about Navajo weavings can help you get the most for your money. Because 

authentic Navajo textiles are prized and often command high prices, unscrupulous sellers may misrepresent imitation weavings as genuine.

Credits: Cover. “Spider Woman Cross Chief Blanket, Phase II,” ca. 1860, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology (MIAC/LOA), 36424/12. 1. “Navajo Weaver,” ca. 1904-1932, Denver Public Library, Western History Photographic Collection, Wm. Pennington, X-33042. 2. “Early Crystal,” ca. 1900-1920, Birmingham 

Museum of Art, Bequest of Coleman Cooper, Palm Beach, Florida, 1986.847. 3. “Teec Nos Pos,” by Lavern Van Winkle, 1989, MIAC/LOA, Gift of Jeffry and Carole Katz, 55424/12. 4. “Two Grey Hills,” ca. 1950, MIAC/LOA, 54829/12. 5. “Storm,” 1980-1995, MIAC/LOA, 55247/12. 6. “Ganado,” ca. 1910, Honolulu Museum of Art, 4689. 

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