Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0129-0006A,B   CAS 0129-0006A,B; Basket with lid
Category Basketry
Object Name Basket with lid
Culture Aleut
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. Alaska
County Aleutians West
Other Geographic Data Aleutian Islands: Attu Island
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1890s
Collection Name N/A
Materials Sea grass; Silk embroidery thread
Description Deep cylindrical basket with flat base and vertical sides, woven almost entirely in closed plain twining: Single row along junction of base and sides is woven in 3-strand twining, and base is woven in alternating sections of closed and open plain twining, the latter having crossed warps; Primary warp and weft material is rye grass stems; Designs are woven of silk yarn in false embroidery technique and consist of a composite cross and "X" motif that is repeated four times (2 in red, green, magenta, and white and 2 in blue, pink, and lavender) bordered above and below by lavender rectilinear zigzag line; Matching round lid with knob handle is woven in similar technique with single row of 3-strand twining along shoulder; Designs on lid include concentric bands of small terraced triangles in blue, red, and lavender on knob handle, and single lavender rectilinear zigzag line around perimeter of shoulder.
Dimensions (cm) Height = ca. 13.5, Max Diam = 10.0