When you are wanting to purchase a Native American or Native style blanket, typically you consider quality and price to get the best value for you and your family.

You may likewise consider blanket designs like Aztec, Bohemian, Tribal or retro prints. Likewise take into consideration the type of product you will be pleased with. With options in wool, polyester fleece, cotton, acrylic, to name a few.

Likewise, what size will best fit your needs? A throw size? Or possibly a bed size like Twin, Full Queen Size or King?

If you have selected a Native American design blanket, may we offer some details to help you to find out more about them:

Indian blankets were precious trade products. A blanket with three beavers pictured on it, for example, implied the blanket valued at 3 beaver pelts. The Hudson Bay Company, founded in Canada in the late 1600s, traded North American Indian blankets to Europeans. The establishment of frontier trading posts by white settlers in the 1800s enabled people to exchange their products to European Americans for other items.

Traditionally, Native Americans wove blankets from animal hides, fur, and plant fibers. Later on, they utilized wool and cotton as well. Hundreds of years before European settlement in North America, the indigenous people utilized blankets for trade purposes.

While a source of income for Native Americans, blankets maintained a much deeper significance. For lots of people blankets were a sign of wealth and status.

Every Native American blanket one may come across has its own unique story, and that story is generally envisioned by the weaver, who decide themselves what symbols and designs to put into each blanket, or mantas, as they are generally called.

In the 1500s the Navajo people of the Southwest found out blanket weaving from the Pueblos, who made blankets from the wool of Spanish sheep. Navajo blankets became understood for their bright colors, geometric patterns, and representation of animals. Made according to the custom-made of the Tlingit tribe of Alaska, a fringe blanket of cedar bark fiber and goat wool required 6 months to finish.

It does not take long to notice the charm embedded into the pattern of Native American blankets. Yet, comprehending where Navajo blanket patterns stemmed from and how the weaver chose what to include in the blanket isn't something one could know by merely admiring the different patterns.

The symbology relating to the varied Native American Tribes

The sign of the Arrowhead

The arrowhead is the pointed suggestion of the arrow, utilized to deal the final blow to a predator or an opponent. For Native Americans, arrowheads are not simply a weapon but are also used as a necklace or a talisman that can guard the user against any wicked spirits. That's why it is likewise regarded as an important sign different from the actual arrow itself. It represents security, defense, and alertness. A lot of arrowhead ornaments are made out of bone, stone, precious gems, and metal.

The symbol regarding the Cross

Native American tribes utilize the symbol of the cross and its varieties to represent the origin of the world, with its 4 bars representing the primary directions: north, south, east, and west. This symbol then symbolizes life or the nourishment of life which acts as a reminder of keeping the balance of nature and its 4 components.

The sign of the Coyote

For Native American, the Coyote is said to be the trickster spirit. The significance of the coyote sign is evident in its wide use particularly for southwestern Native American people like the Zuni and Navajo. While the Coyote is regarded as an effective and sacred animal it is typically portrayed as a mischievous being, which is why it's connected with selfishness, greed, and deceit.

The symbol regarding the Kokopelli

Kokopelli is the name of a Native American divine being linked to fertility. It is frequently portrayed as a hunched, dancing man playing a flute, and typically includes a big phallus. The Kokopelli is a sign of human and plant fertility but it is likewise connected to mischief like the coyote because of its aloof nature.

The sign of the Man in the maze

Actually there are many meanings behind the sign of the man in the labyrinth. It differs from tribe to tribe. However usually, the sign represents a man's life, with lots of twists and turns. The Man in the Maze features a male who looks like he's about to go into a complex labyrinth. The man represents an individual or a people who will embark on his journey in life while the labyrinth itself represents the challenges he fulfills along the way. The center of the maze, or its final corner represents death and the cycle of human life duplicating itself.

The symbology regarding the Thunderbird

The thunderbird is the most crucial legendary bird for the Native American tribes. This magnificent bird takes its name from the belief that it is strong enough to make thunderous sounds whenever it flaps its wings. The Native Americans also thought that thunderbirds could shoot lightning from their eyes. The thunderbird can be a prophecy of war and the symbol of magnificence and power.