Chief blankets are among the possessions most prized by many collectors. I had the rare privilege of being able to handle a first-phase blanket during one of my first internships, at the School of American Research’s Indian Arts Research Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The opportunity afforded me to see and handle rare pieces in Indian Country’s most beautiful collection, the art and textiles of which represent more than just a history but a legacy that spans time.Every time I see a textile of this magnitude, I succumb to a very emotional feeling. It is as if I am transported back to a period of time when my people were at their strongest and most fearless, with a culture and tradition deeply rooted, and where the abundance of life was about expressing appreciation through what they used as a form of trade.Few of these original-style blankets exist. As we move into the later phases of the blankets, the styles of the second, third, and fourth phases transition from a very subtle stripe to more elaboration with color, tension, and design. However, though the overall scheme changed with each phase, the colors used remained constant: cochineal red, indigo blue, brown, and natural white. The fine spinning of the wool contributes to the thickness of the blanket and the tight weave. The blankets were traded with many different tribal leaders from surrounding areas; some were purchased by government officials and became collective pieces that families still preserve to this day.Bernstein, Bruce, Hillary C. Olcott, Christina Hellmich, Deana Dartt, and Jill D'Alessandro, eds., Native American Art from the Thomas W. Weisel Family Collection (New York: Delmonico Books, 2023), p. 56, entry by Nonabah Brooke Sam (Diné), museum curator, Diné College.