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The Storm rug style is distinguished by its design, not colors. This abstract design is supposed to contain the
Navajo symbolism for a storm, but it is widely believed that a trader in Tuba City developed and promoted it
among local weavers, perhaps after hearing a Navajo legend, or possibly from a printed flour sack. It is the
only rug style that purports to be an abstract portrayal of a natural event.
In the middle of the rug is a rectangle, representing the center of the universe. Four rectangles in the corners
of the rug stand for the homes of the four winds or, by some interpretations, the four sacred mountains of the
Navajo world. Zigzag "lightning" connects these with the center.
Storm rugs usually have a dark border that is often embellished on one side with geometric "teeth."
The space between the main design and the border usually contains stylized elements, such as clouds and water beetles.
Arrows, feathers, and geometric designs abound.
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