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.
This variation incorporates
historic designs, such as the early "whirling log"
symbols - used by ancient peoples long before its reverse became
a symbol of racism - as well as several different Chief Blanket
designs. The black background identifies it as another regional
weaving, as "midnight" (or borderless) rugs originated
near Keams Canyon, Arizona on a small stretch of the Navajo reservation
known as Hard Rock.
