Late Classic Serape, ca. 1865. Unknown maker ((Diné (Navajo), Arizona or New Mexico, 19th century). Raveled cochineal-dyed bayeta, handspun vegetal-dyed and indigo-dyed Churro fleece, and commercial machine-spun undyed Germantown wool yarn. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust.
Of all Navajo blanket types the serape is the only one not related to classic Pueblo textiles, which are considered by many scholars to be the basis of Navajo weaving. In these dramatic works, Navajos appropriated Spanish and Mexican design elements-horizontally striped grids, diamond motifs and zigzag lines-incorporating them into complex, visually dynamic compositions. Late classic designs are more loosely organized than the tightly integrated arrangements that distinguish earlier serapes; also, most late classic weavings such as this feature a clearly defined background, which is often a vivid red. As a result, individual motifs appear to float apart from the ground. In this work, synthetically dyed, commercial wools acquired in trade augment the rich natural colors produced by the weaver.
