Tribal officials say the man who created the iconic Navajo Nation Seal has died.
They say 82-year-old John Claw Jr. died Thursday in Gallup, New Mexico.
Claw's daughter says he had been taken to the emergency room at Gallup Indian Medical Center for complications stemming from heart-related conditions.
In 1952 while attending Ganado High School, Claw entered a competition to design the Navajo Nation Seal.
His winning design incorporated arrowheads, a rainbow, cornstalks, the Four Sacred Mountains and livestock.
Tribal President Russell Begaye says the seal "signifies the essential core of Navajo life, culture and teachings and is identifiable far beyond the reaches of the United States.
Claw is survived by a sister, 11 children, 33 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Funeral plans are pending.
