Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0097-0004   CAS 0097-0004; Basket
Category Basketry
Object Name Basket
Culture Achumawi
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. California
County Modoc, Siskiyou, Shasta, Lassen
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture early 1900s
Collection Name N/A
Materials Hazel (Corylus cornuta var. californica) shoots; Conifer roots; Bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax) leaves; Maidenhair fern (Adiantum sp.) stems
Description Small round basket with flat base and rounded sides that curve inward slightly at the rim, woven primarily in plain twining with 3-strand twining on base and along final row of twining at rim; Warp fibers are clipped above rim; Warp material is hazel shoots and primary weft material is conifer roots; Designs on side are woven in full-twist overlay technique, using natural colored bear grass leaves for the background and black maidenhair fern stems for the actual designs, which consist of a band of 5 open diamonds (wolf's eye pattern) with triangle pendant atop each diamond, all framed between upper and lower framing lines that alternate light and dark overlay materials.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 7.8, Rim Diam = 11.0, Max Diam = 12.6