Transitional Phase

Between 1880 and 1910, Navajo weaving entered into a Transitional Phase which was marked by broad experimentation with new designs and weaving types. During this time, there was a remarkable shift from producing traditional wearing blankets to the heavier rugs that tourists were most interested in. The navajo rugs created during this period have become recognized as works of art in their own right, even being compared to similar experimental and modernist movements that occured at the turn of the century in other traditional arts, such as painting.