Ancient Practices: The Craft of Turkey Feather Blankets
About 1,800 years ago, the Ancestral Pueblo people embarked on a new chapter in textile creation, crafting turkey feather blankets as they settled into agricultural living. The cold climate of the Four Corners region demanded innovative solutions for warmth, and feathers proved to be superior to rabbit skins in providing insulation.
A detailed examination of an ancient blanket, approximately 800 years old and housed at the Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum in Blanding, Utah, highlights the craftsmanship involved. This blanket, sized at three and a half feet in length, required over 11,000 turkey feathers. These feathers were meticulously woven with nearly 600 feet of yucca fiber cordage. To complete such a blanket, feathers from four to ten turkeys were necessary.
The collection of turkey feathers was a sustainable practice, as they were gathered during the birds’ natural molting periods, occurring twice annually. During molting, old feathers are naturally shed, allowing for their painless collection. Turkeys have a lifespan of over ten years, enabling the ongoing gathering of feathers without harm to the birds. These blankets, often crafted by women, served multiple purposes, including as cloaks for cold weather, sleeping blankets, and even funerary wrappings.
Mary Weahkee, a retired archeologist of Santa Clara Puebloan and Comanche descent, continues the tradition by weaving turkey feather blankets using ancestral methods. Her work not only preserves this ancient art form but also demonstrates the patience and skill required to produce these intricate pieces.
This Earth Note was written by Carrie Calisay Cannon and produced by KNAU and the Sustainable Communities Program at Northern Arizona University.
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