Navajo

Tittle: Navajo

Designer: Sue Burton Kelly

Hooked by Sue Burton Kelly

Wool Colors Used: Country Red for the background

Sue's Comment: I designed and hooked the rug to compliment a small collection of Navajo weavings I've picked up over the years on trips to Arizona. I investigated the meaning of the symbols a bit then tried to design the rug to incorporate similar sybols. The center symbol represents the scared homeland of Navajo. The four step stuctures in the four corners represent the four sacred mountains that mark the four corners of that land. The cross sumbol inside each represents Spider Woman who was one of the holy people. She is the one who taught weaving to the Navajo. One interesting note is that she is not supposed to be entirely enclosed in another shape since her spirit is supposed to be free. The beading around her represents little holes thtough which she can escape.