Wearing blankets manufactured by Navajo weavers and frequently traded with Plains Native North Americans and to a lesser extent Euro-American settlers. Defined by alternating horizontal bands of indigo, white, red, and black wool. The earliest first phase chief's blanket dates from 1750; blankets continued to be produced in this style until the 1860s. Not associated with rank; "chief blanket" refers to their value assigned by Navajo and Plains communities.
