The astonishing colourised images show members of the tribe in their traditional facemasks.
The tribespeople — snapped between 1900 and 1915 — wore terrifying masks representing different gods from the Navajo culture.
Other stunning pictures show a group of men performing a tribal dance in headgear, and another sees a lone member staring into the camera as he performs a dance.
Frédéric Duriez — who colourised the images — said: "These portraits with these masks are fascinating.
"These people are mysterious behind their masks," he continued, saying they seemed to come "from another world.
"The colourised portraits were without relief and without soul. So I applied a light effect so that it would appear out of the shadows."
Originating in the southwestern American States of Arizona and New Mexico, the Navajo are the second largest Native American tribe recognised by the US government after the Cherokee.
Latest estimates put their population at more than 300,000.
Every mask worn in the pictures represents a different Navajo god, who controlled a different part of a Navajo's life.
These include Asdzą́ą́ Nádleehé the creation god, Bikʼeh Hózhǫ́ the god of speech, and Haashchʼéé Oołtʼohí the god of the hunt.
Striking colourised images such as these are featured in Retrographic, a new book by British author Michael D Carroll.