The Durango Collection®
Historic/Transitional: 1870-1935
| Next item | Last item |
 |
|
 |
When the Navajo were released from Bosque Redondo many returned to their old homes on the newly established reservations. Navajo weaving was destined to change as a result of the influence of the traders,who were licensed as government agents to set-up shop on the reservation, and the railroad, which would bring manufactured goods to the reservation and Navajo textiles to an Anglo market. Navajo weaving was destined to change.
While the Navajo could now purchase yard goods for their own clothes, they could also acquire new dyes and commercial yarns for weaving. This dramatically changed the look of Navajo weaving to include an expanded palette of bright colors, design innovations introduced by the traders, and an expanded design vocabulary influenced by the changing world. There was a shift from the Classic Period wearing blanket tradition to the production of rugs and later, the tapestry tradition. |