Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0370-0879   CAS 0370-0879; Basket
Category Basketry
Object Name Basket
Culture Tohono O’odham (Papago)
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. Arizona
County Pima
Other Geographic Data Area to south and southwest of Tucson
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1930-1950
Collection Name Elkus Collection (Native American)
Materials Bear grass (Nolina erumpens) stems; Yucca (Yucca sp.) leaves; Devil's claw (Martynia sp.) pods
Description Deep, round basket with flat base and slightly flaring sides, woven in coiled technique over bundle foundation; Warp material is bear grass stems and primary weft material is sun bleached split yucca leaves; Designs are woven of black devil's claw pods and undyed yellow-green split yucca leaves, and consist of 5 diagonal columns whose segmented coils alternate between the black (devil's claw) and yellow-green (yucca) as the column is stepped up, rising from the lower sides to the upper sides; Rim is finished with a diagonal overstitch, using the undyed yellow-green yucca leaves.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 22.1, Max Diam = 29.5