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Freemasonry, the teachings and practices of the secret fraternal (men-only) order of Free and Accepted Masons, the largest worldwide secret society. Spread by the advance of the British Empire, Freemasonry remains most popular in the British Isles and in other countries originally within the empire. Estimates of the worldwide membership of Freemasonry in the early 21st century ranged from about two million to more than six million.
Freemasonry evolved from the guilds of stonemasons and cathedral builders of the Middle Ages. With the decline of cathedral building, some lodges of operative (working) masons began to accept honorary members to bolster their declining membership. From a few of these lodges developed modern symbolic or speculative Freemasonry, which particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries adopted the rites and trappings of ancient religious orders and of chivalric brotherhoods. In 1717 the first Grand Lodge, an association of lodges, was founded in England.
Below are Navajo weavings with Freemasonry symbols. Freemasons were known to vacation to the Southwest. Navajo weavers were commissioned to create a variety of rugs with symbols of fraternal organizations. Most were small samplers or small rugs. Lager weavings were special commissioned pieces.
As Above, So Below
Germantown Masonic Pictorial Tapestry : Navajo : Historic : PC 4 : 45" x 68" : (3'9" x 5'8")
Germantown
Germantown Masonic Pictorial Tapestry : Navajo : Historic : PC 4 : 45" x 68" : (3'9" x 5'8")
$ 7,500.00
Germantown Masonic Pictorial tapestry for sale. Due to the fine weave this was likely a commissioned piece. Or possibly made as a souvenir for a member of the Freemasons as they frequented the Grand Canyon via train. Germantown yarn (from Germantown Pennsylvania area) was first introduced to the Navajo at Bosque Redondo, so the weavers would h...
Teec Nos Pos : Shriner Fez Pictorial : Historic : GHT 1891 : 38" x 56" : (3'2" x 4'8")
Teec Nos Pos
Teec Nos Pos : Shriner Fez Pictorial : Historic : GHT 1891 : 38" x 56" : (3'2" x 4'8")
$ 8,500.00
Pictorial Navajo textile woven in the Teec Nos Pos area. Are you or do you know a Mason? If so, this might be the perfect gift you've been searching for. Hand-carded, hand-spun, and hand-dyed native wool, some natural dyes. Exceptionally well woven! Possibly a special commission piece or woven for vacationing Shriners who visited the Grand ...