Ganado Navajo Rug

The best known of all Navajo rugs, the Ganado style, always features a red background. See this Ganado rug in LARGE.
I am told that it took around about 100 hours to make this medium sized rug.

Navajo Ganado hand-woven rugs are best known for their bold "Ganado Red" colour integrated into the Central Diamond and Four Sacred Mountain design, introduced by traders to the Navajo at the turn of the 20th century. A central design pattern such as a single or double terraced diamond or a cross is generally always present.

While there are many different colours of red used in contemporary Ganado rugs, the "Ganado Red" - a unique dark red that is almost a maroon - is recognized as traditional.

Juan Lorenzo Hubbell began trading with Navajos in the late 1870's and from his trading post in Ganado he began to encourage the area's weavers to produce a higher quality weaving. (The Hubbell Trading Post is still in business today in Arizona, but more on that another day.)

Hubbell discouraged the use of artificial chemical dyes and bright colors, preferring the deep dyed red, and natural wool colours. For many Navajo women, weaving is not only a source of livelihood, it is a way to participate in traditional Navajo culture and community. The art of weaving is a deeply felt expression of beauty, harmony, and balance - concepts that lie at the center of Navajo art and life.

As mentioned before, the Navajo are the largest Native American group in North America. We have had the privilege of attending their rug auctions twice on the reservation at Crown Point, in New Mexico. Pre-auction you can spend two hours looking at the rugs, making notes as to the ones you may bid on, speak to the weavers if you wish - and take photos of the ones you like best. The whole experience is great fun, and the best place in the world to buy an amazing rug at a very good price.

This is the 4th Native American item I have blipped. The first was a Zuni DRUM, then the Navajo ceremonial SHIRT, and then a sand painted DRUM.