First-Phase Chief’s Blanket

Woven on a loom, this wearing blanket is made from dyed and undyed handspun churro wool. The alternating blue, cream, and chocolate-brown horizontal bands exemplify the harmonic expressions for which Diné weavers of the mid-nineteenth century were renowned. Textiles like these are called Chief’s blankets because, it was said, only prominent and wealthy individuals could afford them. For members of neighboring Indigenous Nations, including the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Ute, Kiowa and Lakota, these Diné artworks were symbols of prestige worn by leaders and their families. First-Phase Chief’s blankets woven before 1860, prior to the establishment of reservations, were traded many hundreds of miles beyond Diné territory. Later, non-Native settlers and tourists also sought them as works of art and souvenirs. This dynamic weaving tradition—a deeply rooted art form integral to Diné culture—continues to flourish today through the efforts of new generations of innovative artists.