The Storm pattern rug design
originates from the western region of the Navajo reservation,
between Tuba City and Tonalea (Where the Water Comes Together).
It is speculated that the Storm Pattern originated from the Crystal
region in the early 1900's. It is a popular design and one of
the few Navajo rugs that tells a story. According to Navajo mythology,
man and all living things came into this world from the underworld
through the Lake of Emergence, symbolized by the central design
in these rugs. The squares in the four corners represent the
Navajo's four sacred mountains. The lines connecting the center
to the four corners represent lightning bolts which carry blessings
back and forth between the mountaintops, bestowing good spirits
on the weaver and her household.
