NAAXEIN • NAAXIIN • GWISHALAAYT • CHILKAT WEAVING

Diving Whale Design

Based on a leading interpretation of the “formline” design, the central panel of the robe from the previous page represents a diving whale—the most common design found on surviving Chilkat robes. The design on the side panels may be abstract. Many robes have ambiguous designs to facilitate their distribution between clans with different crests. Once received, the clan could assign an identity to the design based on their own emblems and based on their own history.