The Art And The Romance Of Indian Basketry

the art and the romance of indian basketry

clark field clark field collection philbrook art center tulsa 1964 Published by Philbrook Art Center Tulsa, Oklahoma 1964...

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FOREWORD

The autobiographical information about Mr. Clark Field, which appears at the end of this brochure , briefly tells the inspiring story of well over four decades of dedication to—and sincere belief in—the American Indian as a creative artist. The results of these many years of collecting Indian baskets (and pottery) are on permanent display at Philbrook Art Center, in the Clark Field Collection; in addition, many other specimens are in storage and available to the scholar in the study collection.

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BASKETRY

The need for food containers in early human communities led to the “invention” of basketry. The first baskets may have been made of animal skin or twigs; but soon evolved into the use of more suitable materials such as vegetable fibres. Because of the organic materials used in making baskets, most of the earliest examples have been lost through decay. A few examples have been preserved but only in areas of extremely dry climate, such as in Egypt, in Chile and Peru in South America, and in the so

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Ozark Mountains of Arkansas

Very few people are aware that baskets were made by the Ozark “Bluff Dwellers.” A special exhibit in the University of Arkansas Museum, Fayetteville, contains a small basket filled with grasshoppers. The University Museum points out that as long ago as the year 1 A.D., baskets were being made by Indians in the Ozark Area. This provides further evidence of the Indian’s early inhabitance of this country....

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BASKETS WHICH ARE NO LONGER MADE—AND WHY

Case No. 5: These tightly woven baskets made by Thlinkits of Alaska, were woven from spruce tree roots which were split by hand. The baskets were used to hold boiling water for clam cooking. The fibers swelled to such an extent that water could be retained in the basket for as long as five hours. Today this tribe purchases a kettle or bucket for their boiling needs. (See Plate 9c ) Case No. 7: These large Apache baskets used for storing grain, were made about 1874. It required as long as three m

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IDEAS COPIED FROM INDIAN BASKETS

The Anglo appropriated many Indian basket ideas for his own use: The Penobscot colander was found in use as such among the people of this Maine tribe and was made about 1841. It is quite possible that we took this as a pattern for our own metal colanders. (See Plate 10a ) It is also quite possible that we copied the pattern of the Catawba , North Carolina, fish trap for our own minnow trap. (See Plate 4a )...

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BASKETS OF UNIQUE DESIGNS AND USES

The average weaver does not use more than five or six figures in a design. Case No. 3: Mission of California—a quail and flying duck design. (See Plate 11b ) Case No. 3: Shoshone (Panamint), Death Valley California—Oriole design food bowl. (See Plate 11c ) Case No. 9: Choctaw of Oklahoma—Wall Pocket. (See Plate 16c ) Case No. 9: Niantic of Connecticut—clothes rinsing basket. (See Plate 19d ) Case No. 10: Chitimacha of Louisiana—an alligator intestine design. (See Plate 15c ) Case No. 11: Shoshon

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THE VANISHING INDIAN?

The vanishing Indian? He is not vanishing! In 1890, the Indian population in North America numbered about one quarter million and in 1963, records reveal there are over one million Indians....

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SYMBOLIC DESIGNS?

There is the mistaken idea that one tribe “understands” the designs of another tribe and that there is symbolism, or meaning, to every design. Actually, most designs are purely decorative renderings and they have no more symbolism for the Indian than a fabric design has for the general public. The identification of a basket is made not through the interpretation of a “mysterious meaning” of the design but generally from the design motif itself. For instance, baskets made by tribes of southern Ca

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Western Apache—Arizona and New Mexico

Case No. 13: At one time it was not difficult to identify Apache Basketry by tribal name, such as: San Carlos , Chiricahua , Tonto , and Yavapai . Today it is not possible to identify baskets as belonging to a particular Apache tribe. During the nineteenth century these southwest tribes waged continual warfare with the Anglos and Spaniards who had settled in the area. Attempts were made by the United States government to establish treaties. However, newly written treaties were broken before the

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DATSOLALEE 1918 Washoe—Western Nevada

Case No. 3: This basket was made by Dabuda (Young Willow). She was later given the nick-name of Datsolalee (Broad in the Hips) and is best known by this name since later in life she tipped the scales at 350 pounds. On March 26, 1917, Datsolalee started weaving this specimen which is fifty-two inches in circumference and has more than 100,000 stitches (more than thirty to the inch). Eleven months later, on February 16, 1918, she completed this basket which is her greatest masterpiece. Although ma

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UTILITARIAN—HISTORICAL c. 1835 Pennacook—Northern Massachusetts

Case No. 4: This basket is made of ash splints and is white on the interior. The exterior is decorated with designs painted in native dyes using a swabbing stick which has been pounded at one end to form a brush. This earliest known type of painted-on decoration ceased about 1870. An approximate dating for this specimen can be established from an April 2, 1835, copy of the Boston Daily Courier , which lines the basket lid. (See Plate 2d )...

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UTILITARIAN—HISTORICAL Wampanoag—Massachusetts

This very plain basket, constructed of brown ash splints, was authenticated by the late Frank G. Speck, internationally known University of Pennsylvania anthropologist, as being Wampanoag . The Wampanoags , now extinct, were a branch of the Massachusetts Algonquins . This specimen was made by a direct descendant of King Massasoit , the Indian chief who met the Puritans at their Plymouth Rock landing in 1621. Massasoit was the father of King Phillip, for whom the King Phillip’s Indian Wars of 167

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CEREMONIAL WINE BASKET c. 1837 Papago—Arizona

Annually, in July when the fruit of the Saguaro Cactus is ripe, the Papagos hold their Nahwehteete (wine drinking) ceremony. The purpose of this ceremony is to offer a prayer of supplication to bring rain. Wine, made from the Saguaro (called Tizwin ) is passed around in this basket and served from a gourd dipper. Between dances the basket is used for storing the sacred ceremonial paraphernalia used in the dance. The “Keeper of the Sacred Basket” seldom ever parts with the basket. Therefore, not

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MORTUARY Pomo—Northern California

Case No. 3: The Pomo Indians are the only tribe known to have completely and fully decorated baskets with feathers. These baskets were considered to be the tribe’s highest artistic achievement. It was a great honor to the memory of a deceased person when this type of basket, especially made for such an occasion, was placed on his body at the cremation ceremony. It may be said that the sacrifice of these baskets was the tribe’s most profound means of showing respect at the time of cremation. The

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JUMPING DANCE Hoopa—California

Case No. 4: The “Jumping Dance Basket” receives its name from a ceremony in which the participants perform with jumping dance motions. This ceremony is a prayer of supplication for the return of the soil’s fertility. It is held in the spring of the year on land that has ceased to bear crops. Some people question these customs, and actually call them mere “Indian superstitions.” It is revealing to note, however, that less than a century ago Anglos believed that the childhood disease, rickets, cou

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MOURNING BOWL c. 1870 Menominee—Wisconsin

This rare, small birch bark pail is called a “Mourning Bowl.” It is used during the Feast of the Dead , a sacred ceremony which is held one year after burial to honor the deceased. During the Ceremony of the Mourning Bowl, food is placed in the bowl and passed to the mourners. After the ceremony, the basket containing food is giving a final blessing and is placed on the grave of the deceased. (See Plate 17d )...

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INITIATION CEREMONY Hopi—Arizona

The Soyal (Prayer Offering Ceremony) of the religious organization, Kwan Kwan Tu (One Horn Fraternity), is part of a boy’s initiation ceremony at puberty. The ceremony is held mainly in the Kiva (underground ceremonial chamber), from December through April. Here the novice meets his godfather for the first time. The design of the large plaque (at top of plate) represents a sand painting which is executed on the floor before the Kiva altar. The novice wears only a breechcloth as his godfather ins

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WEDDING BASKET Navajo—Arizona

The origin of the Navajo basket with the “Spider Woman’s Cross” design dates back hundreds of years. It is no longer made. As a substitute for their own basket during marriage ceremonies, the Navajo people often use a Paiute basket of the type shown in the upper right of the case. (See Plate 19b ) The Paiute basket is illustrated on Plate 19c ....

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WEDDING PLAQUE Hopi—Arizona

This plaque is made of yucca. The green color is unbleached yucca, the white is bleached yucca and the black color is yucca which has been dyed by using black sunflower seeds. The plaque is called Kochaiinpi (White Meal Plaque), and is woven by a prospective bride for use in the wedding procession. It is hung in the newly married couple’s home afterwards, partly to commemorate the occasion. After the wedding the single-file procession proceeds to the new home which has recently been built by the

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WEDDING c. 1937 Pomo—California

This coiled basket is covered with the feathers of about two hundred quail. The feathers which protrude from the basket, are from the head of the Valley Quail, or Gambel’s Quail. The dark blue feathers are taken from different quails. The decorative disk-like beads are fashioned in the following manner: the shells are broken into small pieces and then drilled with a pump drill. They are then strung on a cord and the strand is then rubbed on a wet sandstone until the beads are round and uniform i

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CEREMONIAL—CARRYING 1905 White Mountain Apache—White River, Arizona

This splendid specimen is woven mainly of lemon bush. The white area is yucca plant and the black area is “Devil’s Claw,” or Martyna. This basket was made by a White Mountain Apache for use in the “Coming Out Dance.” When an Indian Girl reaches the marriageable age, a “Coming Out Dance” is given in her honor. The girl’s relatives and friends are invited to attend this important traditional ceremony. Drummers provide music as the girl and her sponsor (usually her aunt) dance on a rug or on the sk

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STORAGE c. 1900 Pima—Arizona

Case No. 10: This basket was used for storing mesquite beans after they had been hulled. It is doubtful if this type of basket has been made since 1900. (See Plate 8a ) For storage baskets of other tribes see:...

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SEED CONTAINER c. 300 A.D. Pueblo II—Colorado

Case No. 4: Evidence of the importance of basketry among the southwestern peoples of the United States in the first few centuries of our era lies in the fact that these peoples and their culture are referred to as the “Basket Makers.” This basket dates back to approximately 300 A.D., about 1600 years ago. It was used as a seed container to store squash and pumpkin seeds until the next planting season. It was found in the cliff dwellings of the San Juan River basin near Mesa Verde, Colorado. (See

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STORAGE c. 1875 Tonto Apache and White Mountain Apache—Southeast Arizona

Case No. 7: This unusually large specimen is almost three feet tall. Since about 1914, very few, if any, as large as this have been made. An Indian woman would have to devote three to four months to the weaving of a basket of this size. Today she can purchase a gunny sack from the nearest trading post for twenty five cents and store the same amount of grain with much less effort. This basket, valued at $750.00 on the collector’s market today, is a splendid illustration of a dying art. The forthc

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HOUSEHOLD Chitimacha—Louisiana

Case No. 10: The unusual decorative design of this basket is commonly referred to as “alligator intestines.” This design motif has been used as far back as history records, and serves as an excellent example of the weaver’s skill. (See Plate 15c ) For other examples of household baskets see:...

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FOOD BOWL Hopi—Shongopovi, 2nd Mesa—Arizona

Case No. 11: This food bowl is one of the finest specimens of decorative symbolism ever produced in Hopi basketry. The decorations represent the knobhead (or Mudhead) Clown Kachina called Koyemsi , and the Crow Wing Mother (the mother of all Kachinas ). The four ears of corn, each in a different color, represent the four seasons of the year. Made by Lula Joshongeva , it received several awards at the 1956 Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonials, in Gallup, New Mexico. Further honor was bestowed the bask

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BERRY GATHERING Choctaw—Mississippi

Case No. 4: The basket with a tall handle was made in 1817, fourteen years after the Louisiana Purchase. The basket with a shorter handle is a contemporary specimen. The 1817 specimen is of considerable historical significance since it was brought to Oklahoma sometime between 1838 and 1842, at the time the Federal Government removed the Choctaw tribe from Mississippi to Indian Territory (Oklahoma). (See Plate 5b )...

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WATER BOTTLE Chiricahua and Havasupai—New Mexico and Arizona

Above door of entrance to Basket Gallery: These woven specimens are covered with gum from the Pinon Pine and subsequently baked over an open fire until they become as hard as shellac. This coating makes the bottles watertight. Several Arizona tribes prefer this type of water bottle to any they can procure from the Anglo; they are, therefore, still used extensively in this area. (See Plates 2a &amp; 2b )...

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CARRYING (or Burden)

Cases No. 1, 7, 8, 11 and Overhead— Various Tribes . This type of basket was used by the Paiutes of Nevada and the Gabrielenos and Maidus of California for carrying acorns; by the Quileutes of Washington for carrying salmon; by the Hopis of Arizona for carrying peaches and corn, and by the Zunis of New Mexico for carrying peaches. (See Plates 14c &amp; 14d ) Case No. 1. Examples of burden baskets used by the Cherokees of the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. Case No. 7 and 8: Examples of b

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CARRYING Cahuilla or Mission—California

Case No. 13: This basket was used to carry grasshoppers to the brush and grass Wickiup where they were roasted on a long stick over a flame in preparation for eating. There is nothing too unusual about mankind eating insects: The Holy Bible tells of the children of Israel—forty years in the wilderness—in the land of Canaan, eating locusts, as did John The Baptist while preaching in the wilderness. Today specialty stores retail grasshoppers, fried worms, bees and ants—many of which are chocolate

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GRASSHOPPER STEWING Paiute—Nevada

This basket was made for cooking grasshoppers. After the grasshoppers were placed in the basket the top was tied with a buckskin thong and submerged in boiling water. The basket was removed from the water when the grasshoppers were sufficiently cooked and ready to be eaten. (See Plate 10c )...

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WATER TIGHT c. 1875 Thlinkit—Alaska

Case No. 5: This water-tight boiling basket is made of spruce roots which have been finely split by hand. It is woven as tightly as commercially woven canvas water bags. These baskets are no longer made for cooking because metal containers are readily available. The design motif of this unusually fine specimen is constructed of mountain grass, commonly called Squaw Grass. The grass is soaked in bog mud all winter, giving it the black color. The copper color is obtained by boiling the grass with

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CARRYING BASKET c. 1890 Papago—Arizona

Case No. 4: This carrying, or burden, basket, referred to by Papagos as Kiaha , is made of stems from the Cereus Giganteus Cactus and the twine from leaves of the Maguey plant. The Maguey plant played a major role in Papago life due to the fact that food, rope, twine, varnish, needles, and liquor were obtained from it. The Papagos taught the Spaniards to make liquors from the juice of the Maguey plant more than four hundred years ago. The liquor is still made today in Mexico. In 1540, the Spania

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ROASTING TRAYS c. 1890 Yurok—California Modoc—Oregon

Case No. 12: These three trays are used for roasting shelled nuts such as hazel nuts and pinon nuts. The nuts are placed on the tray along with red-hot wood coals. A revolving motion is applied to the tray and the coals are rolled so deftly that they do not burn the tray. (See Plate 9d )...

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CORN HUSK (or “Sally”) BAGS c. 1850 Umatilla—Oregon

Case No. 10: This specimen was made of a hemp foundation and false embroidery of twisted corn husks. Vegetable dyes were used. The name “Sally Bag” goes back to an older use of the term sally, meaning “to go forth,” “to sally forth,” i.e. to travel. The bags were used as travel bags and were tied to the back of the cantle of the saddle. They were known to have been in use at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1805. (See Plate 15a )...

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EFFIGY—TRINKETS Alibamu of Texas, formerly of Alabama Papago of Arizona

Case Nos. 2 and 13: These baskets are unique works of art. Each shows considerable creativity. The Alibamu turkey basket made of pine cones and the Papago owl made of Yucca plant are used as trinket baskets. In more recent years, additional types have been made in the form of birds, frogs, turtles, alligators, armadillos, etc. These baskets have proven quite popular and have therefore become an asset to the economy of the craftsman. (See Plates 5c &amp; 5d )...

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IMBRICATED WEAVE Yakima—Toppenish, Washington

Case No. 11: The Latin word Imbrex means tile; imbricated means overlapping like tiles or a decoration resembling tiles. This basket is an excellent example of the imbricated weave. This basket was formerly used for cooking and is now used in berry picking. There are four different materials used in the construction: the foundation is coiled, split cedar roots; the white color is bleached mountain grass; the dark red is cherry tree bark; the brown is cedar bark. (See Plate 5a )...

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BIRCHBARK Various Tribes

Case No. 8: Many items are made from birch-bark by the Indians in areas where the birch tree grows in abundance. Like many other cultures, the Indian used objects for daily use which required the least effort to make. Birch-bark lends itself readily to easy construction. Shown here are many forms of birch-bark construction: boxes, buckets, creels, trays, etc....

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SQUASH BLOSSOM Pima—Arizona

Case No. 7: The decorative motif of these baskets is actually thought of by the Pima weaver as a “progressive design,” rather than that of a squash blossom. The design is executed in sequences of three to twelve petals, one of a sequence to each basket. Only two complete sets (ten baskets to a set) are known to exist. They are no longer made. These baskets were used for such things as winnowing grain and gathering fruit and vegetables. (See Plate 9b )...

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PORCUPINE QUILL DECORATION c. 1903 Chippewa—Minnesota

Case No. 2: One of the finest examples of the Indian woman’s native creative arts is found in porcupine quill decoration. The artist formerly prepared her own dyes from berries, roots, barks, etc. Today, aniline dyes are used almost exclusively. Steps used in the preparation of quills for bark decoration are as follows: The artist usually divides the quills into four lengths and stores them in separate containers because they differ in length and thickness (one to four inches long and 1/16 to 3/

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MINIATURES

Indian women make these to show their skill in weaving. In similar fashion, the Anglo has engraved the Lord’s Prayer on the head of a straight pin in order to illustrate his skill. The principal, and interesting difference is: the Anglo uses a magnifying glass and the Indian women do not....

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MOOSE HAIR EMBROIDERY c. 1875 Huron—Province of Quebec, Canada

Case No. 3: This basket and the basket from Maine are rare examples of the old Indian art of moose hair embroidery. A cluster of very fine hair grows from the withers of the wild moose and this hair, dyed in suitable colors, is used for the embroidery. The art of this type embroidery probably dates back to about 1714, at which time the natives used this method of decoration for their own buckskin clothing. It is believed that these people were taught the art at convents after the steel needle wa

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Passamaquoddy—Malecite Maine

This is a birch bark box covered with red cloth and decorated with moose hair embroidery. (See Plate 8d )...

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WHALEBONE (Baleen) Eskimo—Point Barrow, Alaska

Case No. 3: The Baleen used in the weaving of this basket is found in the upper jaw of the Bowhead, or Alaskan Right Whale. This horny substance is pulled into various sized strips. While it is still fresh it is flexible and can be woven as easily as fiber. The same weaving technique used in making coiled baskets from grass roots is also used in the construction of this basket. An Alaskan trader is credited with having taught the Eskimos to use Baleen as a weaving medium. The art was almost exti

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ALEUT ISLAND BASKETRY c. 1860 and c. 1939-1944 Attu—Attu Island, Alaska

Case No. 6: The baskets shown in display case no. 6, are the finest weave known to have been made in North America. Woven in about thirty days, the average size basket may have up to 10,000 stitches to the square inch. The finest machine made cotton sheeting has 3600 stitches to the square inch. The dark toned baskets were made about 1860 and the lighter toned ones were made between 1939 and 1944. These specimens are made by the Aleut Indian women of a beach grass (Wild Rye) which grows on Attu

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GAMBLING DEVICES

Case No. 2: Illustrated here are several types of gambling devices used by North American Indians: Pomos of California, used a mat on which they threw their counters. (See Plate 4b ) Seneca-Cayuga of New York, used a wooden bowl and six flat, polished peach seeds for their famous “Peach Seed Game.” This bowl was brought to Oklahoma about 1840. (See Plate 4c ) Cheyennes of Oklahoma, used a basket bowl with wooden counters. Pawnees of Nebraska, used a basket tray. This is the only type of basketry

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MANIOC PRESS Carib—Guatemala and Venezuela

Case No. 13: Indians of Mexico, Central America, northern South America and the Caribbean Islands used this press to remove poison (Hydrocyanic Acid) from the Manioc root. This root is similar to the root used in the preparation of tapioca. The Indians process the root to make a flour which is used in a native bread. This type of press was in use by these people as early as 892 A.D. and in some areas is still being used today. To remove the poison from Manioc the root is pounded, then stuffed in

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BABY CRADLES

Case No. 5: The art of making basket cradles is almost lost today. However, the wooden cradle is still made and used extensively by many tribes; this is especially so in the Pueblo tribes. The following illustrates the use of baby cradles by some basket making tribes: Hoopas, of California, used a sit-down type cradle—the baby is seated in, and tied to, the cradle; Hopis , of Arizona and Frazier River , of Washington, used the cradle for putting the baby to sleep holding the cradle in their arms

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Plate No. 1

1a HOUSEHOLD Chippewa Minnesota Size: 3¾″ × 8¼″ 1b TRINKET Eskimo Alaska Size: 3½″ × 3½″ 1c DECORATIVE Attu Aleutian Islands, Alaska Size: 5″ × 6″ 1d DECORATIVE Attu Aleutian Islands, Alaska Size: 3¼″ × 3¾″...

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Plate No. 2

2a WATER JUG Chiricahua Apache New Mexico Size: 13½″ × 9½″ 2b WATER JUG Havasupai Arizona Size: 12″ × 10″ 2c HISTORICAL—UTILITARIAN Wampanoag Massachusetts Size: 6¾″ × 9″ 2d HISTORICAL—UTILITARIAN Pennacook Massachusetts Size: 14½″ × 20″...

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Plate No. 3

3a CRADLE Pomo California Size: 16″ × 12″ × 7″ 3b CRADLE Hoopa California Size: 16¾″ × 9½″ 3c CRADLE Ute Colorado Size: 34″ × 12″ 3d FISHING CREEL Algonquin Quebec, Canada Size: 10½″ × 10½″ × 8½″...

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PLATE No. 4

4a FISH TRAP Catawba North Carolina Size: 64″ × 16″ 4b GAMBLING MAT Pomo California Size: 28″ diameter 4c GAMBLING TRAY Seneca—Cayuga New York and Oklahoma Size: 12″ × 3¼″ 4d GAMBLING TRAY Pawnee Nebraska and Oklahoma Size: 9″ × 2″...

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Plate No. 5

5a BERRY GATHERING Yakima Washington Size: 20″ × 14½″ 5b BERRY GATHERING Choctaw Mississippi Size: 10″ × 10″ 5c EFFIGY—TRINKET Papago Arizona Size: 8½″ × 7″ 5d EFFIGY—TRINKET Alibamu Alabama and Texas Size: 6″ × 7″...

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Plate No. 6

6a STORAGE Cherokee North Carolina Size: 18½″ × 18″ 6b STORAGE Shoshone—(Panamint) Death Valley, California Size: 24″ × 9″ 6c STORAGE Tonto Apache Arizona Size: 29½″ × 19″ 6d STORAGE Ottawa Michigan Size: 10½″ × 14″ × 10″...

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Plate No. 7

7a STORAGE Cherokee North Carolina Size: 13¾″ × 12″ × 12″ 7b STORAGE Basket Maker II New Mexico Size: 5⅝″ × 4″ 7c STORAGE Algonquin Quebec, Canada Size: 12½″ × 18½″ × 15½″ 7d STORAGE Chippewa Wisconsin Size: 17″ × 9″ × 12″...

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Plate No. 8

8a STORAGE Pima Arizona Size: 21½″ × 18″ 8b STORAGE Hopi Arizona Size: 13″ × 17″ 8c GATHERING Chippewa Wisconsin Size: 30″ × 20″ × 7½″ 8d HOUSEHOLD TRINKET Passamaquoddy—Malecite Maine Size: 3″ × 5″ CARD CASE Huron Quebec, Canada Size: 4″ × 2¾″...

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Plate No. 9

9a HARVEST Cahuilla (Mission) California Size: 8½″ × 22″ 9b WINNOWING TRAY Pima Arizona Size: 3″ × 19″ 9c COOKING Thlinkit Alaska Size: 11½″ × 14″ 9d ROASTING Yurok (2) California Size: 2½″ × 10½″ and 3″ × 21½″ Modoc (1) Oregon Size: 3½″ × 14½″...

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Plate No. 10

10a COLANDER Penobscot Maine Size: 5½″ × 11½″ 10b PORRIDGE BOWL Paiute California Size: 8″ × 12″ 10c STEWING GRASSHOPPERS Paiute California Size: 12″ × 9″ 10d GRINDING TRAY Hoopa California Size: 4½″ × 16½″...

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Plate No. 11

11a MANIOC PRESS Carib Guatemala and Venezuela 72″ × 2½″ not expanded 40″ × 4″ expanded (filled) 11b FOOD BOWL Mission California Size: 5½″ × 15″ 11c FOOD BOWL Shoshone (Panamint) California Size: 3⅜″ × 7½″...

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Plate No. 12

12a FOOD PLATTER Cahuilla (Mission) California Size: 4½″ × 20″ 12b FOOD BOWL Shoshone (Panamint) California Size: 4″ × 8½″ 12c FOOD PLATTER Chemehueve Arizona Size: 3″ × 15″ 12d FOOD PLATTER Yavapai Apache Arizona Size: 4″ × 12½″...

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Plate No. 13

13a FOOD PLATTER Western Apache Arizona Size: 4¾″ × 21½″ 13b FOOD PLATTER Papago Arizona Size: 2¾″ × 11½″ 13c CARRYING (Tump-Line) Karoc California Size: 9¾″ × 13″ 13d CARRYING Papago Arizona Size: 12″ × 25½″ × 20½″...

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Plate No. 14

14a CARRYING (Grasshopper) Cahuilla (Mission) California Size: 14″ × 9″ 14b GATHERING (Clams) Quinault Washington Size: 12¾″ × 16″ × 10″ 14c CARRYING Maidu California Size: 29½″ × 19″ 14d CARRYING Gabrielenos (Mission) California Size: 19″ × 25″...

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Plate No. 15

15a CARRYING (Sally Bag) Umatilla Oregon Size: 17½″ × 13½″ 15b HOUSEHOLD (Farm) Cherokee Oklahoma Size: 6″ × 9½″ 15c HOUSEHOLD Chitimacha Louisiana Size: 6½″ × 9″ × 6″ 15d HOUSEHOLD (Tobacco) Hoopa California Size: 4½″ × 4⅜″...

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Plate No. 16

16a HOUSEHOLD Yokut California Size: 6″ × 12″ 16b HOUSEHOLD (Farm) Rappahannock Virginia Size: 9½″ × 20″ × 17″ 16c HOUSEHOLD (Wall Pocket) Choctaw Oklahoma Size: 14″ × 12″ 16d HOUSEHOLD Cherokee Oklahoma Size: 9½″ × 12″...

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Plate No. 17

17a CEREMONIAL Washoe Nevada Circumference 52″ 13″ hi, 8″ orifice 17b CEREMONIAL (Wine) Papago Arizona Size: 7¼″ × 15½″ 17c CEREMONIAL (Carrying) White Mountain Apache Arizona Size: 13¾″ × 14″ × 15″ 17d MOURNING BOWL Menominee Wisconsin Size: 7″ × 8″...

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Plate No. 18

18a CEREMONIAL (Jumping Dance) Hoopa California Top: 15″ × 3½″ Middle: 18″ × 4½″ Bottom: 20″ × 5½″ 18b CEREMONIAL (Wedding) Pomo California Size: 5⅝″ × 12″ 18c MORTUARY Pomo California Size: 5″ × 14″ 18d MORTUARY Pomo California Size: 5″ × 9½″...

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Plate No. 19

19a CEREMONIAL (Wedding) Hopi Arizona Size: 2½″ × 15″ 19b CEREMONIAL (Wedding) Navajo Arizona Size: 4″ × 13″ 19c CEREMONIAL (Medicine Tray) Paiute Arizona Size: 3″ × 14½″ 19d RINSING (Clothes) Niantic Connecticut Size: 6″ × 11″ × 11″...

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Plate No. 20

SOYAL INITIATION CEREMONY (Prayer Offering Ceremony) Hopi Arizona...

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Plate No. 21

BLOW GUN, QUIVER and DART Cherokee North Carolina...

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ROOT RUNNER BASKETRY

Reprint from Philbrook Brochure, 1952 by Clark Field...

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INTRODUCTION

The purpose that a foreword serves to the reading public is ostensibly to express its writer’s endorsement of the material presented and of the mode of treatment. In this instance the purpose is heartily avowed. The monograph in hand forms a contribution to the series of studies being pursued widely among scholars whose aim is to piece together portions of the picture of culture of the Indians of the Southeast. Our knowledge of the culture properties of native tribes in any area where their deve

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ROOT RUNNER BASKETRY

The association of root-runner basket forms in America would show a number of instances of use of a “Rod” as a one rod foundation for coiled baskets occurring originally in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and on the plains. [1] This technologically simple form of basket building material has implications bearing upon the age and area theory that challenges attention on a wider scale. Apart from the coiling process, a single rod construction appears in the Southeast in wicker work. What conclusions

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ROOT RUNNER BASKETS IN VIRGINIA

The Rappahannock Indians of Virginia make a basket of Japanese honeysuckle root runners of a wicker type weave which is crude in weaving technique in comparison with baskets from North Carolina. (Rappahannock of Virginia.) Quoting Dr. Speck, “The art was revived by some of the women in 1922, when the Indian Association was formed. Susie and Lizzie Nelson, old Bob Nelson and other Rappahannock Indians made these baskets at that time. Chief Otto Nelson, his wife Susie, and Lizzie Nelson remember t

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ROOT RUNNER BASKETS IN NORTH CAROLINA

The Cherokee Indians of North Carolina used Japanese honeysuckle in basket weaving as early as 1880, when it was introduced by a Cherokee woman named Arizona Blankenship who had been educated at Hampton Institute, Virginia. It is interesting to note that the Cherokee Agency Indian School was founded at Cherokee, North Carolina, that same year. In January, 1943, Dr. Speck made an extensive trip into the hill country around Cherokee, North Carolina, visiting the old conservative Cherokee Indians o

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ROOT RUNNER BASKETS IN OKLAHOMA

The Cherokee of Oklahoma used buckbrush (Symphoricarpos Orbiculatus) in making fine root runner baskets and it appears after careful study and extensive inquiry, that this type of basket weaving may have originated among the Indians of Oklahoma. This conclusion is based on many years of collecting baskets from Cherokee Indians in every part of the old Cherokee nation. Interviews with older basket-making women were held through interpreters and it was clearly established that basket making from h

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY

I was born in Dallas, Texas, on January 6, 1882. I first became interested in the art work of the Indians while working as a reporter for an Oklahoma daily newspaper in 1900, at which time I covered the opening for settlement of the Kiowa, Comanche and Apache Indian reservations in southwest Oklahoma. After two years of study (1903-1904) at the University of Oklahoma, I became a traveling salesman and remained in that profession until 1917 when I went into business for myself (retired from busin

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