Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0127-0011   CAS 0127-0011; 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. 1920-1940
Collection Name N/A
Materials Cedar (Cedrus sp.) bark; Rye grass (Elymus sp.) stems; Bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax) leaves; Aniline dyes
Description Small round basket with flat base, vertical sides, and recessed rim; Warp material throughout basket is cedar bark; Base of basket is woven primarily in simple plaiting technique, using cedar bark slats for both warp and weft; Outermost rows of base are woven in plain twining technique, using rye grass stems as weft, with final row done in 3-strand twining; Sides of basket are woven in wrapped twining technique, using bear grass leaves as the weft; Single cedar bark slat encircles top of basket, forming a recessed rim, over which the warps are bent and bound into the final row of twining; Designs on sides of basket are woven of dyed bear grass leaves and consist of plain green band around lower sides and red zigzag band around mid-section, both on straw-colored background; Basket originally had lid.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 5.4, Rim Diam = 9.3, Max Diam = 9.6