Navajo Storm Rug Info

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.