Navajo Rug with Serrated Forms

Navajo

Circa 1930 | Wool | Item 2293

This is a beautiful Navajo weaving. Serrated mountains march around the border all in white and brown weft. This creates negative/positive forms in the general shape of mountains (in some cases, trees). Here we see white mountains set off by a dark sky. Or, one can reverse this and see a dark valley under a white sky. The center spine has the same shapes, but no longer is white weft used, but instead carded grey and tan yarns. The specific effect is intriguing and curious and the overall effect is dramatic and striking.

This rug was woven horizontally, or with the warps going the short direction and the wefts (the colors you see) in the long direction. The first photo shows the orientation of how it was woven. The weave is fine and tight.