Navajo Artifacts
If you are truly interested in Navajo culture, Navajo traditions, and Navajo history, then you definitely need to devote some time to Navajo artifacts. Although the Navajo tribe continues to exist throughout across the Four Corners area, as well as throughout the Navajo Nation, their roots naturally trace back in the United States by hundreds and hundreds of years. They are one of the most well-known Native American tribes in North America, and their history is a long and proud one.
Obviously, it is a history that includes Navajo artifacts of all kinds. As is the case with any peoples whose story stretches back through the centuries, one of the best ways to understand and take seriously the history and culture of said people is through the study of artifacts. As you can imagine, there are some extraordinary artifacts from the Navajo people that are available.
Navajo Artifact Examples
As a matter of fact, the Navajo people are still trying to get back many of their significant, invaluable artifacts. Many have naturally been lost to time, but some artifacts fell from the hands of their owners due to political/social injustices and tragic upheaval. As recently as the past couple of years, the Navajo people are still working tirelessly to get back the Navajo artifacts that are rightfully theirs.
It was over a thousand years ago that the Navajo people made their way from Canada to the United States. They emigrated to the southwest portion of the United States, which is where many of the Navajo can be found to this very day.
In terms of the items that made up Navajo culture in this time, things changed with the return of the Spanish in 1692. Many of the Pueblo people who were displaced in the wake of the Spanish taking down the Pueblo revolt stayed with the Navajo people during this period. It was this exchange of cultures and ideas that altered some of the things the Navajo people used, which in turn certainly made significant changes to how they lived their day-to-day lives. Wool blankets became popular with the Navajo people during this time, which is certainly one of the most prominent examples of Navajo artifacts that is currently in existence. The wool blankets eventually became the kind of Navajo rugs that continue to be wildly popular with a number of cultures to this very day.
Other notable examples of artifacts include necklaces, clay pots, bracelets, rings, and brownware.