Catalog Number |
CAS 0370-0770A,B | |
Category | Basketry | |
Object Name | Effigy basket with lid (alligator) | |
Culture | Coushatta | |
Global Region | North America | |
Country | USA | |
State/Prov./Dist. | Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, or Texas | |
County | ||
Other Geographic Data | unknown | |
Maker's Name | Unknown | |
Date of Manufacture | ca. 1940 | |
Collection Name | Elkus Collection (Native American) | |
Materials | Pine (Pinus sp.) needles and cone scales; Raffia grass leaves; Aniline dyes | |
Description | Elongated basket in the form of an alligator in walking position, woven entirely in open-spaced coiled technique over a bundle foundation; Warp material is pine needles and primary weft material is undyed raffia grass leaves; Alligator's body is oval-shaped and constitutes the actual "basket" with a flat base and vertical sides; Separate open-ended (at one end only) oval shaped basket is attached to one end of body in inverted position to form the animal's tail; Two separate and very shallow, open-ended (on one end only) are also attached to opposite end of the body, forming the head and hinged jaws of the alligator; Four separate coil-wrapped legs and feet are attached to sides of the body; Separate oval lid with interior lip fits into back cavity of alligator's body; Upper side of neck, body (including lid), and tail are covered with overlapping individual pine cone scales to represent the alligator's skin texture; Eyes and interior of mouth are woven of dyed red raffia grass leaves. | |
Dimensions (cm) | Height = 3.8, Width = 5.2, Length = 23.0 |