Southwestern Rugs
Rugs have been known for a long time. First ever known rug was a skin of killed animal. Such rugs were used as coverings from bed weather conditions and as carpets in caves. Later man started to weave animals' wool forming rugs. With the developing of weaving technique different types of rugs and many different usages of them were developed.
It was not so with southwestern rugs on American continent. As floor carpets and different covering animal skins were still used. Weaving technique was used only in sort of southwestern rugs - blankets. They were Serape blankets or Chief blankets - the name Chief blanket did not men that could be worn only by chiefs - anyone could use them.
These southwestern rugs blankets served as a kind of clothing. They were wrapped around the body (they were rather long then wide) helping to withstand cold climate.
Common motifs for these southwestern rugs blankets were everyday life situations, lines of different color or ornamental figures made out of simple geometric forms.
Only after 1890 these blankets came into form of southwestern rugs being sold as souvenirs. Nowadays southwestern rugs do not have that mysterious meaning they used to have and all the design patterns of southwestern rugs are made in a way to satisfy needs of rug dealers and tourists.