Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 1985-0006-0003   CAS 1985-0006-0003; Basket
Category Basketry
Object Name Basket
Culture Pomo
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. California
County Mendocino, Sonoma, Lake
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Laura Somersal (1892-1990)
Date of Manufacture ca. 1960s
Collection Name N/A
Materials Willow (Salix sp.) shoots; Sedge (Carex sp.) roots; Bulrush (Scirpus sp.) roots
Description Round basket with flat base with rounded sides that taper in at rim; Coiled on single-rod foundation; Designs in dyed bulrush include 4-petal (each with 4 points) floral pattern on base, 2 bands of contiguous triangles of graduated sizes around sides, and band of truncated triangles around rim. [Attribution of this basket to Laura Somersal confirmed in 2014 by her nephew, Clint McKay, who studied under her.]
Dimensions (cm) Height = 6.9, Rim Diam = 13.2, Max Diam = 17.8