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ClassificationsFurnishings-Accessories-baskets

Culture Pima

Dateearly 20th Century

Made AtArizona, United States, North America

Collection SiteArizona, United States, North America

MediumBear grass, willow and devil’s claw fiber

Dimensions3 5/8 × 17 1/2 in. (9.2 × 44.5 cm)

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. John and Elizabeth Stahr

Object number2018.3.1

DescriptionThe Pima, Papago and the Apache of southern Arizona make similar basketry trays, distinguished from one another less by design than by the structural manufacture of the baskets. Whereas the Apache use willow rods as the foundation for their weaving, the Pima tend to use grass, making their trays far more flexible. The Pima are well-known for never using dyes in their weavings, the darker sections are most likely made with devil’s claw. The lighter color seen here relative to the darker color of the devil’s claw used by the Papago result from the differences in cultivation between the two groups. Though the designs have faded somewhat over time, the still-visible meandering patterns of the bowl appear to be a variation of the popular Pima vortex design. Staining makes it difficult to determine the pattern of the center of the tray, but often this is a circle of the darker color which represents a spring at the center of the earth from which all water flows.

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