This American flag textile is one of the first recorded examples of Navajo pictorials, weavings that depict objects or scenes from life. Pictorials became a major style in Navajo weaving in the 20th century. Early pictorials often incorporated images of non-Navajo culture, such as the American flag and the train shown above.

Navajo Pictorial Weaving and Curio Loom ca. 1909 Arizona or New Mexico Catalog Information

Navajo Pictorial Weaving
before 1923
New Mexico
Catalog Information

By the 1920s, Navajo weavers began to represent Navajo culture in their pictorials. The two pictorials below portray "Yeibechai" dances, in which Navajos represent holy beings. Although many Navajos opposed the depiction of such sacred subjects in non-religious settings, they became a popular theme in weavings and other art forms.