Germantown style Navajo rugs
and blankets originate from a period in the 1860's, when over
8,000 Navajo Indians were forcibly located to an area in New
Mexico called Bosque Redondo. It was at this internment site
that the Navajo weavers began using manufactured yarns dyed with
brighter ranges of colors (produced in Germantown, Pennsylvania)
than were available through natural wool dying methods. The use
of these dyes provided Navajo weavers with the opportunity to
experiment with new designs and styles, including the famous
"eyedazzler" blankets. Germantown blankets are sometimes
recognized by their trademark diamand and cross patterns.
