Basket Item Number: 91.95.34 from the Portland Art Museum
Description
The Pomo are seven distinct cultural groups that historically occupied the California coast from south of the Russian River northward to the Fort Bragg area and inland to the region around Clear Lake. Although the Pomo made a variety of baskets, they are best known for finely coiled baskets such as these. The basket on the left is constructed with a three-coil foundation. The woven designs on Pomo baskets are usually geometric; figurative designs are rare. Pomo weavers often add feathers and clam shell beads as further ornamentation. The dark plumes are quail topknots, frequently used as accents around the basket rims. The red feathers, from the acorn woodpecker, are very fine; each tuft on the basket is made of several feathers that have been twisted together.
Collection History Provenance
The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.
Item History
- Made by Pomo artist in California, USA during 1880
What
- Name
- Basket
- Identification Number
- 91.95.34
- Type of Item
- basket
- Material
- willow, sedge root, bulrush root, cotton string, clamshell bead, quail feather and woodpecker feather
- Overall
- height 3.5 in, width 8.0 in
Who
- Culture
- Pomo
- Creator
- Pomo artist
Where
- Holding Institution
- Portland Art Museum
- Made in
- California, USA
When
- Creation Date
- during 1880
Other
- Categories
- California; Baskets