Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0145-0128   CAS 0145-0128; 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. late 1800s
Collection Name N/A
Materials Cedar (Cedrus sp.) bark; Bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax) leaves; Aniline dyes
Description Small square basket with rounded corners, recessed rim, and round mouth; Warp material is cedar bark; Base is woven in simple plaiting technique, using cedar bark splints for both warp and weft, and a single row done in plain twining around the perimeter; Sides of basket are woven in wrapped twining technique, using bear grass leaves as the weft; Cedar bark splint encircles top of basket forming a recessed rim; Single row of plain twining is below rim splint and several rows of plain twining are above it, completing the rim; Designs on sides of basket are woven of dyed bear grass leaves and consist of several parallel bands; Single row of alternating purple and natural straw-colored fibers encircles base of basket; Composite band in colors of green, orange and purple encircles lower sides, and wider band with purple zigzag line on orange background and purple framing lines encircles the mid-section; Basket originally had lid (now missing).
Dimensions (cm) Height = 6.4, Rim Diam = 8.9, Max Diam = 9.4