Burntwater Rugs

The Navajo rug design known as Burntwater was developed by Bruce Burnham and Don Jacobs at the Burntwater Trading Post near Sanders, AZ. These traders encouraged their local weavers to create very fine weavings using the Central Diamond and Four Sacred Mountain design introduced from Oriental rugs to the Navajo by traders at the turn of the century in an attempt save the art of Navajo weaving by opening Eastern markets in the United States. Navajo Burntwater rugs are known for their beautiful pastel colours derived from Native vegetal dyes and also for their excellence in weave. Burntwater rugs are a more recent development of the late 1960’s but exemplify the role the Trader still plays in encouraging local weavers. Mr. Burnham continues to work with his weavers in encouraging new designs and is largely responsible for the “New Germantown” Navajo rugs using contemporary yarns from Germantown, PA and old 1880 Germantown rug designs to inspire the talented Navajo weavers of the Burntwater area.