Wide Ruins

Plant Dyes and Banded Designs

The Wide Ruins design began in the 1920-1930 era and continue to be woven today. Inspired by the success of Chinle weavings, these styles were an effort to revive banded blanket patterns of the mid and late 19th century, as well as preserve the art of vegetal dyeing that use the ancient plant and mineral dyes to produce soft desert hues. The Wide Ruin weavers embraced the idea of using vegetal dye and through experimentation with the indigenous plants and mineral, they greatly expanded the natural dye palette. Weaving families would closely guard their recipes for the special colors that they had developed. Wide Ruins rugs usually are finely woven and detailed, often with a ceremonial sash-belt design incorporated within the pattern. Some have described the Wide Ruins design as an unique representation of the natural strata of the local topography.