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Start Over Collection place The Americas Donor Zelia Nuttall Taxon Juncus textilis
Hearst Museum object titled Presentation basket, accession number 1-22478, described as Chumash coin-design presentation basket made by María Marta Zaputimeu, early 1800s. Three-rod juncus foundation is sewn with finely split sumac, black-dyed juncus, and a small amount of natural-orange juncus in the base design. The interior of the basket features the coat of arms of the Spanish kings repeated four times. This design was copied from a Spanish colonial coin known as the pillar dollar or piece of eight. The inscription reads "MARIA MARTA NEOFITA DE LA MISION DE EL SERAFICO DOCTOR SAN BVENAVENTVRA ME HIZO AN" (Maria Marta, neophyte of the mission of the Seraphic Doctor San Buenaventura made me [in the year]). According to Timbrook (2014), "María Marta Zaputimeu (also spelled Saputimehue) was a Chumash woman born at the village of S'omɨs, namesake of the present-day town of Semis. She was baptized at nearby Mission San Buenaventura on June 5, 1788, at about twenty-one years of age (Mission San Buenaventura 1782-1808:No. 363). She had no children and died in 1830." According to Timbrook (2014), close inspection reveals "that fluffy white feathers were inserted horizontally into the foundation on the nonwork face, as the basket was being woven. These appear only on the exterior and are associated only with the four vertical pillarlike design elements that alternate with the shield figures." According to Timbrook, the incorporation of feathers was a stunning departure from Chumash tradition: "this use of feathers is more like that seen in Ohlone and Pomo examples.... and until now has been completely unknown in Chumash basketry." Diameter: approximately 16¼ inches; height: 6½ inches. About 320 weft strands per inch. Notice: Image restricted due to its potentially sensitive nature. Contact Museum to request access.

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