How to Identify an Authentic Navajo Rug

Examine the yarn. Navajo rugs are usually made with wool yarn. They also will be reversible, since a Navajo weaving is identical on both sides and has no loose yarn ends.

Look for rugs without fringe. Some Navajo blankets have fringe applied at the ends or corners, but it's typically not found on rugs.

Notice how the edges are joined where different colors of the design meet. You should see jagged joints in these areas that resemble the edge of a saw.

Expect to see "lazy lines." Navajo weavers often work on one area of a rug at a time. As a weaver moves to a new area to continue working where he left off, diagonal joints called lazy lines are created in areas of the design that are the same color.

Check the symmetry. Fold the rug in half to see if the midpoint of the design is centered, which is typical for contemporary Navajo rugs. The design usually will be symmetrical on opposite sides and opposite ends as well.

Consider that older rugs often won't pass the symmetry test. That's partly because early 20th century weavers who were making striped blankets struggled with the more-difficult symmetrical rug designs desired by trading posts. It's also theorized that some early weavers intentionally created inconsistent designs as a mark of humility.