Studio: international art (29.1903)

American Indian Basket-Work

fig. i

the most rudimentary character are the only means
of written intercommunication ; but these, at times,
bear a remote resemblance to the ideographic forms
of China and ancient Egypt.

In the four baskets which I send to you for ex-
amination, some interesting symbolic patterns
appear, which, if my information be correct, seem
to call for fuller investigation and elucidation of
the subject than, to my knowledge, has hitherto
been attempted. How far the symbolism of the
ornament upon them is established by ancient
usage I am unable to say. The Indians themselves
are generally most reticent upon the subject. Fig. i
is a basket made by a squaw of the Atsugo or
Hut-Creek tribe of the State of California. The
triangular forms running round the basket in bands
represent arrow heads. Those pointing obliquely
upwards represent dead birds. Those pointing
obliquely downwards represent dead ground game.
The large central ornament represents a store-house.
By the combined forms it is meant to express
" We have hunted and filled our store-houses."
Fig. 2 was made by a Digger Indian. The two
dark encircling bands signify two tribes in search
of game, represented by the arrow heads pointing
up and down. At the base of the basket a circle
is shown from which radiate short lines (see Fig. 3).
This represents a group of men gathered round the
camp fire—the whole signifying that " two tribes
upon friendly terms went hunting, and afterwards
gathered round the camp fire."

Fig. 4 is another Digger basket. The cross in
the large central ornament represents a fire
(probably suggested by crossed sticks), and the
triangular forms attached may signify game. In

the bands of ornament we recognise the men
gathering round. At the base of the basket is a
four-petalled blossom, supposed to be a melon
flower, which indicates the period of the
ceremonial.

Fig. 5 is a basket made by a Washoe squaw.
The zig-zags represent lightning in the hills. The
diamond form symbolises a chief, and the arrow
heads pointing downwards, ground game. The
whole signifies that " our chiefs were out hunting
when agreat storm of lightning occurred in the hills."
These examples are typical of the great variety of
subjects treated by American basket-weavers, and
my only object in referring to them is to draw
attention to what appears to me to be a fascinating
study, intimately connected with the beginning of

fig. 3

145