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diff --git a/17742.txt b/17742.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c3f7c85 --- /dev/null +++ b/17742.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1111 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Navajo weavers, by Washington Matthews + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Navajo weavers + Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the + Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1881-'82, + Government Printing Office, Washington, 1884, pages 371-392. + +Author: Washington Matthews + +Release Date: February 10, 2006 [EBook #17742] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NAVAJO WEAVERS *** + + + + +Produced by PM for Bureau of American Ethnology, Jeannie +Howse and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by the Bibliotheque nationale +de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr) + + + + + + + + + + + +SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION--BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY. + + +NAVAJO WEAVERS. + +BY + +DR. WASHINGTON MATTHEWS, U.S.A. + + + +Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology +to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1881-'82, +Government Printing Office, Washington, 1884, pages 371-392. + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + +PLATE XXXIV.--Navajo woman spinning 376 + XXXV.--Weaving of diamond-shaped diagonals 380 + XXXVI.--Navajo woman weaving a belt 384 + XXXVII.--Zuni women weaving a belt 388 + XXXVIII.--Bringing down the batten 390 + FIG. 42.--Ordinary Navajo blanket loom 378 + 43.--Diagram showing formation of warp 379 + 44.--Weaving of saddle-girth 382 + 45.--Diagram showing arrangement of threads of + the warp in the healds and on the rod 383 + 46.--Weaving of saddle-girth 383 + 47.--Diagram showing arrangement of healds in + diagonal weaving 384 + 48.--Diagonal cloth 384 + 49.--Navajo blanket of the finest quality 385 + 50.--Navajo blankets 386 + 51.--Navajo blanket 386 + 52.--Navajo blanket 387 + 53.--Navajo blanket 387 + 54.--Part of Navajo blanket 388 + 55.--Part of Navajo blanket 388 + 56.--Diagram showing formation of warp of sash 388 + 57.--Section of Navajo belt 389 + 58.--Wooden heald of the Zunis 389 + 59.--Girl weaving (from an Aztec picture) 391 + + + + +NAVAJO WEAVERS. + +BY DR. WASHINGTON MATTHEWS. + + +Sec. I. The art of weaving, as it exists among the Navajo Indians of New +Mexico and Arizona, possesses points of great interest to the student +of ethnography. It is of aboriginal origin; and while European art has +undoubtedly modified it, the extent and nature of the foreign +influence is easily traced. It is by no means certain, still there are +many reasons for supposing, that the Navajos learned their craft from +the Pueblo Indians, and that, too, since the advent of the Spaniards; +yet the pupils, if such they be, far excel their masters to-day in the +beauty and quality of their work. It may be safely stated that with no +native tribe in America, north of the Mexican boundary, has the art of +weaving been carried to greater perfection than among the Navajos, +while with none in the entire continent is it less Europeanized. As in +language, habits, and opinions, so in arts, the Navajos have been less +influenced than their sedentary neighbors of the pueblos by the +civilization of the Old World. + +The superiority of the Navajo to the Pueblo work results not only from +a constant advance of the weaver's art among the former, but from a +constant deterioration of it among the latter. The chief cause of this +deterioration is that the Pueblos find it more remunerative to buy, at +least the finer _serapes_, from the Navajos, and give their time to +other pursuits, than to manufacture for themselves; they are nearer +the white settlements and can get better prices for their produce; +they give more attention to agriculture; they have within their +country, mines of turquoise which the Navajos prize, and they have no +trouble in procuring whisky, which some of the Navajos prize even more +than gems. Consequently, while the wilder Indian has incentives to +improve his art, the more advanced has many temptations to abandon it +altogether. In some pueblos the skill of the loom has been almost +forgotten. A growing fondness for European clothing has also had its +influence, no doubt. + +Sec. II. Cotton, which grows well in New Mexico and Arizona, the tough +fibers of yucca leaves and the fibers of other plants, the hair of +different quadrupeds, and the down of birds furnished in prehistoric +days the materials of textile fabrics in this country. While some of +the Pueblos still weave their native cotton to a slight extent, the +Navajos grow no cotton and spin nothing but the wool of the domestic +sheep, which animal is, of course, of Spanish introduction, and of +which the Navajos have vast herds. + +The wool is not washed until it is sheared. At the present time it is +combed with hand cards purchased from the Americans. In spinning, the +simplest form of the spindle--a slender stick thrust through the +center of a round wooden disk--is used. The Mexicans on the Rio Grande +use spinning-wheels, and although the Navajos have often seen these +wheels, have had abundant opportunities for buying and stealing them, +and possess, I think, sufficient ingenuity to make them, they have +never abandoned the rude implement of their ancestors. Plate XXXIV +illustrates the Navajo method of handling the spindle, a method +different from that of the people of Zuni. + +They still employ to a great extent their native dyes: of yellow, +reddish, and black. There is good evidence that they formerly had a +blue dye; but indigo, originally introduced, I think, by the Mexicans, +has superseded this. If they, in former days, had a native blue and a +native yellow, they must also, of course, have had a green, and they +now make green of their native yellow and indigo, the latter being the +only imported dye-stuff I have ever seen in use among them. Besides +the hues above indicated, this people have had, ever since the +introduction of sheep, wool of three different natural colors--white, +rusty black, and gray--so they had always a fair range of tints with +which to execute their artistic designs. The brilliant red figures in +their finer blankets were, a few years ago, made entirely of _bayeta_, +and this material is still largely used. Bayeta is a bright scarlet +cloth with a long nap, much finer in appearance than the scarlet +strouding which forms such an important article in the Indian trade of +the North. It was originally brought to the Navajo country from +Mexico, but is now supplied to the trade from our eastern cities. The +Indians ravel it and use the weft. While many handsome blankets are +still made only of the colors and material above described, American +yarn has lately become very popular among the Navajos, and many fine +blankets are now made wholly, or in part, of Germantown wool. + +The black dye mentioned above is made of the twigs and leaves of the +aromatic sumac (_Rhus aromatica_), a native yellow ocher, and the gum +of the pinon (_Pinus edulis_). The process of preparing it is as +follows: They put into a pot of water some of the leaves of the sumac, +and as many of the branchlets as can be crowded in without much +breaking or crushing, and the water is allowed to boil for five or six +hours until a strong decoction is made. While the water is boiling +they attend to other parts of the process. The ocher is reduced to a +fine powder between two stones and then slowly roasted over the fire +in an earthen or metal vessel until it assumes a light-brown color; it +is then taken from the fire and combined with about an equal quantity +in size of pinon gum; again the mixture is put on the fire and +constantly stirred. At first the gum melts and the whole mass assumes +a mushy consistency; but as the roasting progresses it gradually +becomes drier and darker until it is at last reduced to a fine black +powder. This is removed from the fire, and when it has cooled +somewhat it is thrown into the decoction of sumac, with which it +instantly forms a rich, blue-black fluid. This dye is essentially an +ink, the tannic acid of the sumac combining with the sesquioxide of +iron in the roasted ocher, the whole enriched by the carbon of the +calcined gum. + +[Illustration: PL. XXXIV.--NAVAJO WOMAN SPINNING.] + +There are, the Indians tell me, three different processes for dyeing +yellow; two of these I have witnessed. The first process is thus +conducted: The flowering tops of _Bigelovia graveolens_ are boiled for +about six hours until a decoction of deep yellow color is produced. +When the dyer thinks the decoction strong enough, she heats over the +fire in a pan or earthen vessel some native almogen (an impure native +alum), until it is reduced to a somewhat pasty consistency; this she +adds gradually to the decoction and then puts the wool in the dye to +boil. From time to time a portion of the wool is taken out and +inspected until (in about half an hour from the time it is first +immersed) it is seen to have assumed the proper color. The work is +then done. The tint produced is nearly that of lemon yellow. In the +second process they use the large, fleshy root of a plant which, as I +have never yet seen it in fruit or flower, I am unable to determine. +The fresh root is crushed to a soft paste on the _metate_, and, for a +mordant, the almogen is added while the grinding is going on. The cold +paste is then rubbed between the hands into the wool. If the wool does +not seem to take the color readily a little water is dashed on the +mixture of wool and paste, and the whole is very slightly warmed. The +entire process does not occupy over an hour and the result is a color +much like that now known as "old gold." + +The reddish dye is made of the bark of _Alnus incana_ var. _virescens_ +(Watson) and the bark of the root of _Cercocarpus parvifolius_; the +mordant being fine juniper ashes. On buckskin this makes a brilliant +tan-color; but applied to wool it produces a much paler tint. + +Sec. III. Plate XXXVIII and Fig. 42 illustrate ordinary blanket-looms. +Two posts, _a a_, are set firmly in the ground; to these are lashed +two cross-pieces or braces, _b c_, the whole forming the frame of the +loom. Sometimes two slender trees, growing at a convenient distance +from one another, are made to answer for the posts, _d_ is a +horizontal pole, which I call the supplementary yarn-beam, attached to +the upper brace, _b_, by means of a rope, _e e_, spirally applied. _f_ +is the upper beam of the loom. As it is analogous to the yarn-beam of +our looms, I will call it by this name, although once only have I seen +the warp wound around it. It lies parallel to the pole _d_, about 2 or +3 inches below it, and is attached to the latter by a number of loops, +_g g_. A spiral cord wound around the yarn-beam holds the upper border +cord _h h_, which, in turn, secures the upper end of the warp _i i_. +The lower beam of the loom is shown at _k_. I will call this the +cloth-beam, although the finished web is never wound around it; it is +tied firmly to the lower brace, _c_, of the frame, and to it is +secured the lower border cord of the blanket. The original distance +between the two beams is the length of the blanket. Lying between the +threads of the warp is depicted a broad, thin, oaken stick, _l_, which +I will call the batten. A set of healds attached to a heald-rod, _m_, +are shown above the batten. These healds are made of cord or yarn; +they include alternate threads of the warp, and serve when drawn +forward to open the lower shed. The upper shed is kept patent by a +stout rod, _n_ (having no healds attached), which I name the shed-rod. +Their substitute for the reed of our looms is a wooden fork, which +will be designated as the reed-fork (Fig. 44, _a_). + +[Illustration: FIG. 42.--Ordinary Navajo blanket loom.] + +For convenience of description, I am obliged to use the word +"shuttle," although, strictly speaking, the Navajo has no shuttle. If +the figure to be woven is a long stripe, or one where the weft must be +passed through 6 inches or more of the shed at one time, the yarn is +wound on a slender twig or splinter, or shoved through on the end of +such a piece of wood; but where the pattern is intricate, and the weft +passes at each turn through only a few inches of the shed, the yarn is +wound into small skeins or balls and shoved through with the finger. + +Sec. IV. The warp is thus constructed: A frame of four sticks is made, +not unlike the frame of the loom, but lying on or near the ground, +instead of standing erect. The two sticks forming the sides of the +frame are rough saplings or rails; the two forming the top and bottom +are smooth rounded poles--often the poles which afterwards serve as +the beams of the loom; these are placed parallel to one another, their +distance apart depending on the length of the projected blanket. + +On these poles the warp is laid in a continuous string. It is first +firmly tied to one of the poles, which I will call No. 1 (Fig. 43); +then it is passed over the other pole, No. 2, brought back under No. 2 +and over No. 1, forward again under No. 1 and over No. 2, and so on to +the end. Thus the first, third, fifth, &c., turns of the cord cross in +the middle the second, fourth, sixth, &c., forming a series of +elongated figures 8, as shown in the following diagram-- + +[Illustration: FIG. 43.--Diagram showing formation of warp.] + +and making, in the very beginning of the process, the two sheds, which +are kept distinct throughout the whole work. When sufficient string +has been laid the end is tied to pole No. 2, and a rod is placed in +each shed to keep it open, the rods being afterwards tied together at +the ends to prevent them from falling out. + +This done, the weaver takes three strings (which are afterwards +twilled into one, as will appear) and ties them together at one end. +She now sits outside one of the poles, looking towards the centre of +the frame, and proceeds thus: (1) She secures the triple cord to the +pole immediately to the left of the warp; (2) then she takes one of +the threads (or strands as they now become) and passes it under the +first turn of the warp; (3) next she takes a second strand, and +twilling it once or oftener with the other strands, includes with it +the second bend of the warp; (4) this done, she takes the third strand +and, twilling it as before, passes it under the third bend of the +warp, and thus she goes on until the entire warp in one place is +secured between the strands of the cord; (5) then she pulls the string +to its fullest extent, and in doing so separates the threads of the +warp from one another; (6) a similar three stranded cord is applied to +the other end of the warp, along the outside of the other pole. + +At this stage of the work these stout cords lie along the outer +surfaces of the poles, parallel with the axes of the latter, but when +the warp is taken off the poles and applied to the beams of the loom +by the spiral thread, as above described, and as depicted in Plate +XXXVIII and Fig. 42, and all is ready for weaving, the cords appear on +the inner sides of the beams, _i.e._, one (Pl. XXXVIII and Fig. 42, _h +h_) at the lower side of the yarn-beam, the other at the upper side of +the cloth-beam, and when the blanket is finished they form the stout +end margins of the web. In the coarser grade of blankets the cords are +removed and the ends of the warp tied in pairs and made to form a +fringe. (See Figs. 54 and 55.) + +When the warp is transferred to the loom the rod which was placed in +the upper shed remains there, or another rod, straighter and +smoother, is substituted for it; but with the lower shed, healds are +applied to the anterior threads and the rod is withdrawn. + +Sec. V. The mode of applying the healds is simple: (1) the weaver sits +facing the loom in the position for weaving; (2) she lays at the right +(her right) side of the loom a ball of string which she knows contains +more than sufficient material to make the healds; (3) she takes the +end of this string and passes it to the left through the shed, leaving +the ball in its original position; (4) she ties a loop at the end of +the string large enough to admit the heald-rod; (5) she holds +horizontally in her left hand a straightish slender rod, which is to +become the heald-rod--its right extremity touching the left edge of +the warp--and passes the rod through the loop until the point of the +stick is even with the third (second anterior from the left) thread of +the warp; (6) she puts her finger through the space between the first +and third threads and draws out a fold of the heald-string; (7) she +twists this once around, so as to form a loop, and pushes the point of +the heald-rod on to the right through this loop; (8) she puts her +finger into the next space and forms another loop; (9) and so on she +continues to advance her rod and form her loops from left to right +until each of the anterior (alternate) warp-threads of the lower shed +is included in a loop of the heald; (10) when the last loop is made +she ties the string firmly to the rod near its right end. + +When the weaving is nearly done and it becomes necessary to remove the +healds, the rod is drawn out of the loops, a slight pull is made at +the thread, the loops fall in an instant, and the straightened string +is drawn out of the shed. Illustrations of the healds may be seen in +Plates XXXV and XXXVIII and Figs. 42, 44, and 46, that in Fig. 46 +being the most distinct. + +Sec. VI. In making a blanket the operator sits on the ground with her +legs folded under her. The warp hangs vertically before her, and +(excepting in a case to be mentioned) she weaves from below upwards. +As she never rises from this squatting posture when at work, it is +evident that when she has woven the web to a certain height further +work must become inconvenient or impossible unless by some arrangement +the finished web is drawn downwards. Her cloth-beam does not revolve +as in our looms, so she brings her work within easy reach by the +following method: The spiral rope (Plate XXXVIII and Fig. 42) is +loosened, the yarn-beam is lowered to the desired distance, a fold is +made in the loosened web, and the upper edge of the fold is sewed down +tightly to the cloth-beam. In all new blankets over two feet long the +marks of this sewing are to be seen, and they often remain until the +blanket is worn out. Plate XXXV, representing a blanket nearly +finished, illustrates this procedure. + +Except in belts, girths, and perhaps occasionally in very narrow +blankets, the shuttle is never passed through the whole width of the +warp at once, but only through a space which does not exceed the +length of the batten; for it is by means of the batten, which is +rarely more than 3 feet long, that the shed is opened. + +[Illustration: PL. XXXV.--WEAVING OF DIAMOND-SHAPED DIAGONALS.] + +Suppose the woman begins by weaving in the lower shed. She draws +apportion of the healds towards her, and with them the anterior +threads of the shed; by this motion she opens the shed about 1 inch, +which is not sufficient for the easy passage of the woof. She inserts +her batten edgewise into this opening and then turns it half around on +its long axis, so that its broad surfaces lie horizontally; in this +way the shed is opened to the extent of the width of the batten--about +3 inches; next the weft is passed through. In fig. 42 the batten is +shown lying edgewise (its broad surfaces vertical), as it appears when +just inserted into the shed, and the weft, which has been passed +through only a portion of the shed, is seen hanging out with its end +on the ground. In Plate XXXV the batten is shown in the second +position described, with the shed open to the fullest extent +necessary, and the weaver is represented in the act of passing the +shuttle through. When the weft is in, it is shoved down into its +proper position by means of the reed-fork, and then the batten, +restored to its first position (edgewise), is brought down with firm +blows on the weft. It is by the vigorous use of the batten that the +Navajo serapes are rendered water-proof. In Plate XXXVIII the weaver +is seen bringing down this instrument "in the manner and for the +purpose described," as the letters patent say. + +When the lower shed has received its thread of weft the weaver opens +the upper shed. This is done by releasing the healds and shoving the +shed-rod down until it comes in contact with the healds; this opens +the upper shed down to the web. Then the weft is inserted and the +batten and reed-fork used as before. Thus she goes on with each shed +alternately until the web is finished. + +It is, of course, desirable, at least in handsome blankets of +intricate pattern, to have both ends uniform even if the figure be a +little faulty in the center. To accomplish this some of the best +weavers depend on a careful estimate of the length of each figure +before they begin, and weave continuously in one direction; but the +majority weave a little portion of the upper end before they finish +the middle. Sometimes this is done by weaving from above downwards; at +other times it is done by turning the loom upside down and working +from below upwards in the ordinary manner. In Fig. 49, which +represents one of the very finest results of Navajo work, by the best +weaver in the tribe, it will be seen that exact uniformity in the ends +has not been attained. The figure was of such a nature that the +blanket had to be woven in one direction only. + +I have described how the ends of the blanket are bordered with a stout +three-ply string applied to the folds of the warp. The lateral edges +of the blanket are similarly protected by stout cords applied to the +weft. The way in which these are woven in, next demands our attention. +Two stout worsted cords, tied together, are firmly attached at each +end of the cloth-beam just outside of the warp; they are then carried +upwards and loosely tied to the yarn-beam or the supplementary +yarn-beam. Every time the weft is turned at the edge these two strings +are twisted together and the weft is passed through the twist; thus +one thread or strand of this border is always on the outside. As it is +constantly twisted in one direction, it is evident that, after a +while, a counter-twist must form which would render the passage of the +weft between the cords difficult, if the cords could not be untwisted +again. Here the object of tying these cords loosely to one of the +upper beams, as before described, is displayed. From time to time the +cords are untied and the unwoven portion straightened as the work +progresses. Fig. 44 and Plate XXXVIII show these cords. The coarse +blankets do not have them. (Fig 42.) + +Navajo blankets are single-ply, with designs the same on both sides, +no matter how elaborate these designs may be. To produce their +varigated patterns they have a separate skein, shuttle, or thread for +each component of the pattern. Take, for instance, the blanket +depicted in Fig. 49. Across this blanket, between the points _a--b_, +we have two serrated borders, two white spaces, a small diamond in the +center, and twenty-four serrated stripes, making in all twenty-nine +component parts of the pattern. Now, when the weaver was working in +this place, twenty-nine different threads of weft might have been seen +hanging from the face of the web at one time. In the girth pictured in +Fig. 44 five different threads of woof are shown depending from the +loom. + +[Illustration: FIG. 44.--Weaving of saddle-girth.] + +When the web is so nearly finished that the batten can no longer be +inserted in the warp, slender rods are placed in the shed, while the +weft is passed with increased difficulty on the end of a delicate +splinter and the reed-fork alone presses the warp home. Later it +becomes necessary to remove even the rod and the shed; then the +alternate threads are separated by a slender stick worked in tediously +between them, and two threads of woof are inserted--one above and the +other below the stick. The very last thread is sometimes put in with a +darning needle. The weaving of the last three inches requires more +labor than any foot of the previous work. + +In Figs. 49, 50, 51, 52, and 53 it will be seen that there are small +fringes or tassels at the corners of the blankets; these are made of +the redundant ends of the four border-cords (_i.e._, the portions of +the cord by which they were tied to the beams), either simply tied +together or secured in the web with a few stitches. + +The above is a description of the simplest mechanism by which the +Navajos make their blankets; but in manufacturing diagonals, sashes, +garters, and hair-bands the mechanism is much more complicated. + +Sec. VII. For making diagonals the warp is divided into four sheds; the +uppermost one of these is provided with a shed-rod, the others are +supplied with healds. I will number the healds and sheds from below +upwards. The following diagram shows how the threads of the warp are +arranged in the healds and on the rod. + +[Illustration: FIG. 45.--Diagram showing arrangement of threads of the +warp in the healds and on the rod.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 46.--Weaving of saddle-girth.] + +When the weaver wishes the diagonal ridges to run upwards from right +to left, she opens the sheds in regular order from below upwards thus: +First, second, third, fourth, first, second, third, fourth, &c. When +she wishes the ridges to trend in the contrary direction she opens the +sheds in the inverse order. I found it convenient to take my +illustrations of this mode of weaving from a girth. In Figs. 44 and 46 +the mechanism is plainly shown. The lowest (first) shed is opened and +the first set of healds drawn forward. The rings of the girth take the +place of the beams of the loom. + +There is a variety of diagonal weaving practiced by the Navajos which +produces diamond figures; for this the mechanism is the same as that +just described, except that the healds are arranged differently on the +warp. The following diagram will explain this arrangement. + +[Illustration: FIG. 47.--Diagram showing arrangement of helds in +diagonal weaving.] + +To make the most approved series of diamonds the sheds are opened +twice in the direct order (_i.e._, from below upwards) and twice in +the inverse order, thus: First, second, third, fourth, first, second, +third, fourth, third, second, first, fourth, third, second, first, +fourth, and so on. If this order is departed from the figures become +irregular. If the weaver continues more than twice consecutively in +either order, a row of V-shaped figures is formed, thus: VVVV. Plate +XXXV represents a woman weaving a blanket of this pattern, and Fig. 48 +shows a portion of a blanket which is part plain diagonal and part +diamond. + +[Illustration: FIG. 48.--Diagonal cloth.] + +Sec. VIII. I have heretofore spoken of the Navajo weavers always as of +the feminine gender because the large majority of them are women. +There are, however, a few men who practice the textile art, and among +them are to found the best artisans in the tribe. + +[Illustration: PL. XXXVI.--NAVAJO WOMAN WEAVING A BELT.] + +Sec. IX. Navajo blankets represent a wide range in quality and finish and +an endless variety in design, notwithstanding that all their figures +consist of straight lines and angles, no curves being used. As +illustrating the great fertility of this people in design I have to +relate that in the finer blankets of intricate pattern out of +thousands which I have examined, I do not remember to have ever seen +two exactly alike. Among the coarse striped blankets there is great +uniformity. + +[Illustration: FIG. 49.--Navajo blanket of the finest quality.] + +The accompanying pictures of blankets represent some in my private +collection. Fig. 49 depicts a blanket measuring 6 feet 9 inches by 5 +feet 6 inches, and weighing nearly 6 pounds. It is made entirely of +Germantown yarn in seven strongly contrasting colors, and is the work +of a man who is generally conceded to be the best weaver in the tribe. +A month was spent in its manufacture. Its figures are mostly in +serrated stripes, which are the most difficult to execute with +regularity. I have heard that the man who wove this often draws his +designs on sand before he begins to work them on the loom. Fig. 50 _a_ +shows a blanket of more antique design and material. It is 6 feet 6 +inches by 5 feet 3 inches, and is made of native yarn and _bayeta_. +Its colors are black, white, dark-blue, red (_bayeta_) and--in a +portion of the stair-like figures--a pale blue. Fig. 50 _b_ depicts a +tufted blanket or rug, of a kind not common, having much the +appearance of an Oriental rug; it is made of shredded red flannel, +with a few simple figures in yellow, dark blue, and green. Fig. 51 +represents a gaudy blanket of smaller size (5 feet 4 inches by 3 feet +7 inches) worn by a woman. Its colors are yellow, green, dark blue, +gray, and red, all but the latter color being in native yarn. Figs. 52 +and 53 illustrate small or half-size blankets made for children's +wear. Such articles are often used for saddle blankets (although the +saddle-cloth is usually of coarser material) and are in great demand +among the Americans for rugs. Fig. 53 has a regular border of uniform +device all the way around--a very rare thing in Navajo blankets. Figs. +54 and 55 show portions of coarse blankets made more for use use than +ornament. Fig. 55 is made of loosely-twilled yarn, and is very warm +but not water-proof. Such blankets make excellent bedding for troops +in the field. Fig. 54 is a water-proof _serape_ of well-twilled native +wool. + +[Illustration: FIG. 50.--Navajo blankets.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 51.--Navajo blanket.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 52.--Navajo blanket.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 53.--Navajo blanket.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 54.--Part of Navajo blanket.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 55.--Part of Navajo blanket.] + +The aboriginal woman's dress is made of two small blankets, equal in +size and similar in design, sewed together at the sides, with +apertures left for the arms and no sleeves. It is invariably woven in +black or dark-blue native wool with a broad variegated stripe in red +imported yarn or red _bayeta_ at each end, the designs being of +countless variety. Plates XXXIV and XXXV represent women wearing such +dresses. + +[Illustration: FIG. 56.--Diagram showing formation of warp of sash.] + +[Illustration: PL. XXXVII.--ZUNI WOMAN WEAVING A BELT.] + +Sec. X. Their way of weaving long ribbon-like articles, such as sashes or +belts, garters, and hair-bands, which we will next consider, presents +many interesting variations from, the method pursued in making +blankets. To form, a sash the weaver proceeds as follows: She drives +into the ground four sticks and on them she winds her warp as a +continuous string (however, as the warp usually consists of threads of +three different colors it is not always _one_ continuous string) from, +below upwards in such a way as to secure two sheds, as shown in the +diagram, Fig. 56. + +[Illustration: FIG. 57.--Section of Navajo belt.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 58.--Wooden heald of the Zunis.] + +Every turn of the warp passes over the sticks _a_, and _b_; but it is +alternate turns that pass over _c_ and _d_. When the warp is laid she +ties a string around the intersection of the sheds at _e_, so as to +keep the sheds separate while she is mounting the warp on the beams. +She then places the upper beam of the loom in the place of the stick +_b_ and the lower beam in the place of the stick _a_. Sometimes the +upper and lower beams are secured to the two side rails forming a +frame such as the warp of a blanket is wound on (Sec. IV), but more +commonly the loom is arranged in the manner shown in Plate XXXVI; that +is, the upper beam is secured to a rafter, post, or tree, while to the +lower beam is attached a loop of rope that passes under the thighs of +the weaver, and the warp is rendered tense by her weight. Next, the +upper shed is supplied with a shed-rod, and the lower shed with a set +of healds. Then the stick at _f_ (upper stick in Plate XXXVI) is put +in; this is simply a round stick, about which one loop of each thread +of the warp is thrown. (Although the warp may consist of only one +thread I must now speak of each turn as a separate thread.) Its use is +to keep the different threads in place and prevent them from crossing +and straggling; for it must be remembered that the warp in this case +is not secured at two points between three stranded cords as is the +blanket warp. + +When this is all ready the insertion of the weft begins. The reed-fork +is rarely needed and the batten used is much shorter than that +employed in making blankets. Fig. 57 represents a section of a belt. +It will be seen that the center is ornamented with peculiar raised +figures; these are made by inserting a slender stick into the warp, so +as to hold up certain of the threads while the weft is passed twice or +oftener underneath them. It is practically a variety of damask or +two-ply weaving; the figures on the opposite side of the belt being +different. There is a limited variety of these figures. I think I have +seen about a dozen different kinds. The experienced weaver is so well +acquainted with the "count" or arrangements of the raised threads +appropriate to each pattern that she goes on inserting and withdrawing +the slender stick referred to without a moment's hesitation, making +the web at the rate of 10 or 12 inches an hour. When the web has grown +to the point at which she cannot weave it further without bringing the +unfilled warp nearer to her, she is not obliged to resort to the +clumsy method used with blankets. She merely seizes the anterior layer +of the warp and pulls it down towards her; for the warp is not +attached to the beams, but is movable on them; in other words, while +still on the loom the belt is endless. When all the warp has been +filled except about one foot, the weaving is completed; for then the +unfilled warp is cut in the center and becomes the terminal fringes of +the now finished belt. + +The only marked difference that I have observed between the mechanical +appliances of the Navajo weaver and those of her Pueblo neighbor is to +be seen in the belt loom. The Zuni woman lays out her warp, not as a +continuous thread around two beams, but as several disunited threads. +She attaches one end of these to a fixed object, usually a rafter in +her dwelling, and the other to the belt she wears around her body. She +has a set of wooden healds by which she actuates the alternate threads +of the warp. Instead of using the slender stick of the Navajos to +elevate the threads of the warp in forming her figures, she lifts +these threads with her fingers. This is an easy matter with her +style of loom; but it would be a very difficult task with that of the +Navajos. Plate XXXVII represents a Zuni woman weaving a belt. The +wooden healds are shown, and again, enlarged, in Fig. 58. The Zuni +women weave all their long, narrow webs according to the same system; +but Mr. Bandelier has informed me that the Indians of the Pueblo of +Cochiti make the narrow garters and hair-bands after the manner of the +Zunis, and the broad belts after the manner of the Navajos. + +[Illustration: PL. XXXVIII.--BRINGING DOWN THE BATTEN.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 59.--Girl weaving (from an Aztec picture).] + +Sec. XI. I will close by inviting the reader to compare Plate XXXVI and +Fig. 59. The former shows a Navajo woman weaving a belt; the latter a +girl of ancient Mexico weaving a web of some other description. The +one is from a photograph, taken from life; the other I have copied +from Tylor's "Anthropology" (p. 248); but it appears earlier in the +copy of Codex Vaticana in Lord Kingsborough's "Antiquities of Mexico." +The way in which the warp is held down and made tense, by a rope or +band secured to the lower beam and sat upon by the weaver, is the same +in both cases. And it seems that the artist who drew the original rude +sketch, sought to represent the girl, not as working "the cross-thread +of the woof in and out on a stick," but as manipulating the reed-fork +with one hand and grasping the heald-rod and shed-rod in the other. + + NOTE.--The engravings were prepared while the author was in New + Mexico and could not be submitted for his inspection until the + paper was ready for the press. Some alterations were made from the + original pictures. The following are the most important to be + noted: In Plate XXXVIII the batten should appear held + horizontally, not obliquely. Fig. 5 is reduced and cannot fairly + delineate the gradations in color and regular sharp outlines of + the finely-serrated figures. Fig. 53 does not convey the fact that + the stripes are of uniform width and all the right-angles + accurately made. + + * * * * * + + + + +INDEX + + + Blankets, Navajo 380-388 + + Codex, The Vatican; Illustrating Mexican weaving 391 + Colors prepared for Navajo fabrics 376 + Cotton woven in Pueblos, Native 375 + + Dyeing among Navajoes 377 + Dyes used by Navajoes 377 + + Fabrics; Prehistoric textiles of the United States 393-425 + + Healds of Navajo loom 378 + Mode of applying the 380, 384 + Zuni 389 + + Looms, Navajo 377 + + Mathews, Dr. W., Navajo weavers 371-391 + + Navajo blankets, Varieties of 385-388 + Mode of weaving 383 + diagonal 383 + diamond 384 + dyeing 377 + dyes 376 + healds in loom used 380 + looms 377 + position in weaving 380 + warp of blankets 378-379 + sash 388 + weavers 371-391 + wool 375 + + Taylor, E.B., Anthropology cited 391 + + Warp, Construction of Navajo blanket 378 + Warp, Construction of Navajo sash 388 + Weavers, Navajo, by Dr. Washington Mathews 371-391 + Weaving, Navajo position in 380 + wool by Navajoes 375 + + Zuni, healds 389 + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Navajo weavers, by Washington Matthews + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NAVAJO WEAVERS *** + +***** This file should be named 17742.txt or 17742.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/7/4/17742/ + +Produced by PM for Bureau of American Ethnology, Jeannie +Howse and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by the Bibliotheque nationale +de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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