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Symbol Meanings on Navajo Rugs

Some of the symbols on Navajo rugs are indigenous, while others are very universal. Find out about the symbol meanings on Navajo rugs with help from a home design and decor professional in this free video clip.

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Video Transcript

Hi, this is Zach Zaman, and we’re here at Heirloom, our gallery in North Shore, Long Island. Today, we’ll be talking about symbols in Navajo rugs. Navajo rugs are rife with symbols. Some of them are indigenous, and others are very universal. In this rug, the first thing that is very prominent is the swastika border. It’s what we refer to as a swastika, but it’s actually a symbol of the wheel of life. This symbol has been used for thousands of years around the world, mostly in East Asia, to symbolize the cyclical nature of life, and how good fortune comes in and out. The field of the rug displays an Eye Dazzler pattern. This pattern actually originates in the Saltillo serapes of Mexico. The ID in the center of the rug isn’t supposed to be ID as in Freud, but it’s a misspelling of ED, which would be Eye Dazzler. Thank you for joining us. I hope this was very helpful. See you again soon!