Zuni Wearing blanket. Circa:1885 41" x 57"

The Zuni Pueblo is located 45 minutes southwest of Gallup New Mexico. The Zuni have a population of approximately 17,000, most of whom  live in and around the village center. Because of the large quantity of weavings produced by the Navajos, there is a tendency to over look the wonderful weaving arts of the Pueblo peoples. It is thought that the Pueblo tribes first introduced the art of weaving to the Navajo sometime in the middle to late 1600’s. Historically, the weavers in the Pueblo tribes were men, while it was the women who directed the weaving for the Navajo.

Before the introduction of wool by the Spanish in the 1500’s, the Pueblo peoples used a variety of weaving materials including rabbit, native plant fibers and cotton. Today the few items woven by the Hopi and Zuni still use cotton as a base. There are very few Pueblo weavers today. According to people I have spoken to, there are only a handful of men producing a few textiles for sale outside the Pueblos. Most work is done for traditional ceremonies and family use.

I am hopeful that in time there will be a revival in this art by the younger Pueblo members. As a case in point, I sent a white cotton wedding manta (large rectangle cotton cape) to the Zuni Pueblo and it is being embroidered by a young, 17 year old high school student. He works on it when he gets time between high school, sports, and tribal activities. When I get the finished manta back, I will post a photo of it here.

• 6/10/99. Well here it is...the finished Manta.  After 3 years of on and off work I received this finished Weaving.  The cotton base was woven by an elderly man at Second Mesa, Hopi.  I had the embroidery done at the Pueblo of Zuni.  The yarn used in this embroidery is hand carded wool that is dyed in the old style. This is one of the last, old style works to come from the pueblos that uses all hand spun materials. Today, many mantas are made of monk cloth (a white commercial cloth) and embroidered with synthetic yarns.

Close up of Zuni Blanket.
The Zuni Wearing Blanket:
The blanket shown is a very good example of a Zuni textile. It also makes a good point to a collector as to what it takes to improve your chances of finding a good item for your collection. This blanket was purchased at auction for me by a very knowledgeable friend. In the auction listing it was noted to be a new Navajo or Mexican rug. In a full room of "experts" my friend Jim purchased this item for $160.00.  Jim had an edge…he knew the history of the pueblo weaving style inside and out, having studied under the great anthropologist, Dr. Joe Ben Wheat, professor emeritus, University of Colorado.

• It is knowledge that separates the good buys from the Best buys. Study, study, study is the formula for successful collecting in a crowded market. Read all you can get your hands on, check out the Internet,
  go to museums and art galleries and be comfortable in your knowledge. Remember, the
  "Experts can and do make mistakes". You may learn a small tidbit of information that
  gives you an edge.

Further study of this weaving showed the presence of body paint used in ceremonial dances of the Pueblo people. It also has a unique natural gray wool that was only produced during the 1880’s in the Zuni area (conversation with Joe Ben Wheat, 1995).

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Last modified:  January 08, 2004