Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0145-0078   CAS 0145-0078; Basket
Category Basketry
Object Name Basket
Culture Makah
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. Washington
County
Other Geographic Data Makah Indian Reservation area
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. early 1900s
Collection Name N/A
Materials Cedar (Cedrus sp.) bark; Bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax) leaves; Aniline dye
Description Small square basket with flat base, vertical sides, high flat shoulder, and short neck; Warp material is cedar bark; Base of basket is woven primarily in simple plaiting technique, changing to plain twining around the outer edges and using cedar bark for the warp and weft; Sides of basket are woven in wrapped twining technique, using bear grass leaves as the weft; A single cedar bark slat encircles the top of the basket, forming a recessed rim and round mouth, over which the warps are bent and bound into the final row of twining; Designs on sides and shoulder of basket are woven of dyed purple bear grass leaves and consist of 2 parallel zigzag bands on the lower sides, 2 plain parallel lines on the upper sides, and 1 plain band just below the rim; Basket almost certainly had lid originally.
Dimensions (cm) Height = ca. 8.5, Width = 8.5, Rim Diam = ca. 7.2, Length = 9.5