Gift of Edna Ebling

Tapered, imbricated basket with two rawhide handles. Has zigzag geometric design in light, natural colored fiber and various shades of brown.

The object is a coiled, burden basket with imbricated geometric figures. There are some outer surface losses of light colored fibers. Overall condition good.

The object is a basket with an imbricated pattern made from brown bark, yellow bark, and ivory-yellow grass wrapped over cedar root. Imbrication is a regular overlapping arrangement technique that is used exclusively by Native Americans of the Plateau and Northwest Coast areas. The Klikitat maker used a coil technique that is more like sewing than weaving. Coiled baskets are built up spirally from the center and require two components: the first is a central core of rods or grasses serving as a foundation for the second component which is a group of fibers that simultaneously wrap around the foundation and stitch the coils together. An awl creates holes in the foundation through which fibers are pulled or stitched. While sewing is in process, imbrication decoration is also going forward. Imbrication involves wrapping dyed grasses into the basket, forming an overlapping pattern. The basket is in stable condition.

This is probably a Wasco basket. The center section design of this cylindrical basket has 2 brown zigzag bands (unusual pattern that possibly signifies a storm) that form rectangles or a step design on the inside spaces. These stepped designs may be viewed as positive growth or migration in stages either by people and/or sturgeon or they may be viewed as negative designs of abstract stars. Inside the spaces formed outside of the zigzags are interlocking, square shaped U's. These U forms are sturgeon gill design. The object is a cylindrical basket. Its self-edged rim, which is reinforced with stiff wire, has a band of light and medium beige materials between two thin dark brown bands. The dark brown hue on the rim and throughout the basketry design is probably applied dye made from berry juice. The body of the basket has two strong zigzag patterns outlined in dark brown. Inside these outlines are narrow tan borders; inside the tan borders are filled-in dark brown triangles producing a continuous chain of tan diamond shapes through the middle. Under the rim of the basket, between the bold zigzags, are delicate three-sided shapes made from a single flagged vertical line surrounded by linear flagged U-forms. Towards the bottom of the basket, between the bold zigzags, are additional delicate shapes, this time four-sided forms, made from flagged U-forms, around a horizontal centered "I". Encircling the base of the basket are plain parallel borders. The overall condition of the basket is fragile with walls slightly collapsed and very buckled. The interior has edges of fibers used to create false embroidery. All of these projecting edges are fragile; some have become detached.

This is a coiled burden basket decorated using an imbrication technique with black, brown, yellow, and ivory in stepped patterns. The basket is watertight for carrying. Condition good.

The cedar bark is dyed.

The cedar bark is dyed.

The cedar bark? is dyed.