Object: Rug on loom

E/1981/6/1
United States, Arizona
Navajo
1930’s
Materials: wool, wood

This partially complete weaving was made on an unknown Arizona reservation as a demonstration piece and was later donated to the museum. It is very likely that the Navajo learned to weave from neighboring Pueblo groups no later than the seventeenth century, though Navajo legends tell of how weaving was first taught to them by Spider Woman. Since then, they have become well known as masters of the craft and their pieces are still highly valued. Nearly all Navajo weavers are women, while men traditionally make the loom and tools.

Because this particular rug is only half-complete, it is easy to see many of the characteristics that distinguish Navajo weavings. All the yarn is handspun wool, as opposed to commercially made or cotton yarn. Germantown style rugs were woven with commercial yarn and occasionally cotton warp (the lengthwise threads), but this in an exception. This piece also has two shades of carded gray, made by blending white and black wool together. While some Navajo rugs, especially those in the “eye dazzler” style, incorporate several bright colors, most have a natural palette with one accent color, usually red. The Navajo maintain strong, straight edges by weaving in a selvage cord as they go, which is often of a contrasting color. Here, a two-ply black yarn is used for that purpose. The top and bottom edges of Navajo weavings are also flat and smooth, rather than fringed. This is due to the warp thread being set up on the loom in a continuous figure eight, eliminating loose ends and allowing the entire warp area to be filled.

A traditional element of Navajo weaving not present in this piece is a spirit line, though it is typically made just before the piece is finished. According to legend, when Spider Woman walked away from the tree where the gift of weaving came to her, she left a line behind her, a line that lead to new things. When Spider Woman shared her gift with the Navajo, she taught them to leave a line that ran out of the pattern and to the edge of the blanket. This was the line that she had left behind her, and it allowed the weaver’s mind to be released from the finished piece and move on to new things [Holly Thompson].

Object: Women’s shawl

E/1989/2/1
Guatemala
Ixil Maya
1980’s
Materials: cotton thread

This shawl, known as a rebozo in Spanish or as a tzute, is part of the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History’s extensive Mayan textile collection. John Pitzer collected this shawl, along with many other pieces of Mayan textiles in the collection, on the behalf of the museum during his many trips to Central America. This collection was the subject of the museum’s first online exhibit, which can be viewed here.

Tzutes serve a wide a wide variety of purposes among the Maya. For example, they may be used for warmth or shade, as a basket covering, or to carry goods home from market. Others are ceremonial. Both men and women wear tzutes, although the size, color, and design are gender-specific. Traditional Mayan textiles are woven on either a backstrap or treadle loom. Backstrap looms are simple and portable. One end of the loom is tied to a post, and the other is secured to the weaver’s waist with a strap. The width of the fabric is limited, but the weaver can create detailed brocade designs. Conversely, large, foot-powered treadle looms create simpler designs and wider fabric. Backstrap looms are used almost exclusively by women and treadle looms by men, though they may weave clothing for the opposite sex. This is a woman’s shawl and was likely made on a backstrap loom.

Each piece of traditional clothing worn by a Mayan individual communicates something about his or her social status. Groups within the Maya each have their own particular style as well. The thin vertical stripes on this piece are a common feature of the shawls and sash belts of the Ixil Maya in the town of Nebaj, Guatemala. This simple design contrasts with the intricate geometric patterns on their huipiles, or blouses. While many Maya still wear traditional clothing, western clothing is becoming more popular, often resulting in blended outfits of both traditional and western pieces. This tzute is also a blended garment: the fabric is traditionally woven, while the design is machine stitched rather than brocaded [Holly Thompson].

More information on modern Mayan textiles click here.

Object: Shawl

E/1947/1/2
Black wool shawl with silk fringe
North America
Late 19th century /early 20th century
Materials: Wool, thread, silk

Shawls are worn by Native Americans throughout North America as a part of traditional regalia. Shawls of this type are associated with plains culture dance clothes. This style of shawl was originally introduced to Native Americans via Spanish traders. Shawls are either folded and hung over the arm of a dancer wearing a complete ensemble of traditional native dress, or can be wrapped around a dancer wearing contemporary clothing.

Shawls are made using a variety of materials suited for its purpose. They are usually constructed from a square or rectangle long enough to be folded in half and wrapped around the dancer. They are then hemmed and two strands of fringe are strung through the hem and tied (with an over hand knot) at varying distances (usually 1” apart or less) on all four sides of the fabric. Sometimes these shawls are decorated with additional materials. These decorations can be custom patterns for particular individuals or groups. In other cases the shawl design is less personal in nature and may simply be a commercial design.

The fringe work on this shawl displays a network of diamond patterns, a technique known as double tying. In contemporary outfits the use of this technique is slowly declining because it is very time consuming, especially when more fringe is used. Double tying involves taking a single piece of fringe from one section of fringe and tying that to a strand of fringe from a neighboring section of fringe. This is repeated all the way around the shawl, and continued further down towards the ends of the fringe until the desired length of pattern is achieved. [Ashley Hunter]

For more information on Native American dances and traditional garments see:

Native American Dance: A Synergy of Dance, Drama and Religion by Denee Bannister or
The National Museum of the American Indian Celebrates Native American Dance
or
Regalia: American Indian Dress and Dance by Russell Peters and Richard Haynes
or
How to make a Native American dance shawl by Full Circle Videos