Mortar basket

Museum number:
1-12072
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21010012072
Alternate number:
1005 (original number)
Accession number:
Acc.291 and Acc.294
Description:
Mortar basket, grimy from usage. End of rim hoop now secured by buckskin thong. White overlay designs in horizontal bands. From top: connected diamonds, zigzag, chevrons, and two dotted bands. 2-faced overlay. Large hoop sewn on inside to form rim lower hoop lattice-stitched to outside approximately 7 cm from bottom. Mostly plain weave; one row of 3-strand twining at the bottom, then 3 rows plain, 4 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, 3 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, hoop, then all plain twining above. Tags "Wailaki". Tag "1005" stapled to basket. Per Ralph Shanks: Twined mortar hopper basket with flaring sides, used. The start is missing. The diameter of the hole is 5.5 inches. The warps are peeled shoots. The wefts are conifer root and a design overlay of beargrass. The basket starts with two rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by four rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by three rows of three strand twining, followed by one row of lattice twining with one rod, followed by plain twining to the rim. The rim has a small area of exposed warps followed by two rows of plain twining, sometimes over two warps. Through this gap the wrapping for the reinforcing rod is threaded. A leather strap is wrapped on one edge. The design is in horizontal bands: two bands of checkered beargrass, followed by a band of chevrons, followed by a band of zigzags, followed by a band of diamonds. The overlay is irregularly double-sided, with the main design on the exterior. The basket undulates. There is an up to the right slant of weft twist and a rightward work direction, with an exterior workface.
Donor:
Samuel A. Barrett
Collection place:
Round Valley, Mendocino County, California
Verbatim coll. place:
California; Mendocino; Round Valley
Culture or time period:
Wailaki
Collector:
Samuel A. Barrett
Collection date:
July 1907
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Mortar baskets (baskets by function), Mortar baskets (food processing), and Twined weaving
Function:
1.5 Household
Accession date:
1907
Context of use:
Mortar basket.
Department:
Native California (archaeology and ethnology)
Dimensions:
height 20 centimeters and diameter 12 centimeters
Comment:
Photo: "15-6634" Samuel A. Barrett field notes, p. 7: "Names in Huchnom." "Made by Wailaki old woman long ago.
Images:
Hearst Museum object 1 of 3 titled Mortar basket, accession number 1-12072, described as Mortar basket, grimy from usage. End of rim hoop now secured by buckskin thong. White overlay designs in horizontal bands. From top: connected diamonds, zigzag, chevrons, and two dotted bands. 2-faced overlay. Large hoop sewn on inside to form rim lower hoop lattice-stitched to outside approximately 7 cm from bottom. Mostly plain weave; one row of 3-strand twining at the bottom, then 3 rows plain, 4 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, 3 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, hoop, then all plain twining above. Tags "Wailaki". Tag "1005" stapled to basket. Per Ralph Shanks: Twined mortar hopper basket with flaring sides, used. The start is missing. The diameter of the hole is 5.5 inches. The warps are peeled shoots. The wefts are conifer root and a design overlay of beargrass. The basket starts with two rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by four rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by three rows of three strand twining, followed by one row of lattice twining with one rod, followed by plain twining to the rim. The rim has a small area of exposed warps followed by two rows of plain twining, sometimes over two warps. Through this gap the wrapping for the reinforcing rod is threaded. A leather strap is wrapped on one edge. The design is in horizontal bands: two bands of checkered beargrass, followed by a band of chevrons, followed by a band of zigzags, followed by a band of diamonds. The overlay is irregularly double-sided, with the main design on the exterior. The basket undulates. There is an up to the right slant of weft twist and a rightward work direction, with an exterior workface.Hearst Museum object 2 of 3 titled Mortar basket, accession number 1-12072, described as Mortar basket, grimy from usage. End of rim hoop now secured by buckskin thong. White overlay designs in horizontal bands. From top: connected diamonds, zigzag, chevrons, and two dotted bands. 2-faced overlay. Large hoop sewn on inside to form rim lower hoop lattice-stitched to outside approximately 7 cm from bottom. Mostly plain weave; one row of 3-strand twining at the bottom, then 3 rows plain, 4 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, 3 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, hoop, then all plain twining above. Tags "Wailaki". Tag "1005" stapled to basket. Per Ralph Shanks: Twined mortar hopper basket with flaring sides, used. The start is missing. The diameter of the hole is 5.5 inches. The warps are peeled shoots. The wefts are conifer root and a design overlay of beargrass. The basket starts with two rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by four rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by three rows of three strand twining, followed by one row of lattice twining with one rod, followed by plain twining to the rim. The rim has a small area of exposed warps followed by two rows of plain twining, sometimes over two warps. Through this gap the wrapping for the reinforcing rod is threaded. A leather strap is wrapped on one edge. The design is in horizontal bands: two bands of checkered beargrass, followed by a band of chevrons, followed by a band of zigzags, followed by a band of diamonds. The overlay is irregularly double-sided, with the main design on the exterior. The basket undulates. There is an up to the right slant of weft twist and a rightward work direction, with an exterior workface.Hearst Museum object 3 of 3 titled Mortar basket, accession number 1-12072, described as Mortar basket, grimy from usage. End of rim hoop now secured by buckskin thong. White overlay designs in horizontal bands. From top: connected diamonds, zigzag, chevrons, and two dotted bands. 2-faced overlay. Large hoop sewn on inside to form rim lower hoop lattice-stitched to outside approximately 7 cm from bottom. Mostly plain weave; one row of 3-strand twining at the bottom, then 3 rows plain, 4 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, 3 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, hoop, then all plain twining above. Tags "Wailaki". Tag "1005" stapled to basket. Per Ralph Shanks: Twined mortar hopper basket with flaring sides, used. The start is missing. The diameter of the hole is 5.5 inches. The warps are peeled shoots. The wefts are conifer root and a design overlay of beargrass. The basket starts with two rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by four rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by three rows of three strand twining, followed by one row of lattice twining with one rod, followed by plain twining to the rim. The rim has a small area of exposed warps followed by two rows of plain twining, sometimes over two warps. Through this gap the wrapping for the reinforcing rod is threaded. A leather strap is wrapped on one edge. The design is in horizontal bands: two bands of checkered beargrass, followed by a band of chevrons, followed by a band of zigzags, followed by a band of diamonds. The overlay is irregularly double-sided, with the main design on the exterior. The basket undulates. There is an up to the right slant of weft twist and a rightward work direction, with an exterior workface.
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Mortar basket, accession number 1-12072, described as Mortar basket, grimy from usage. End of rim hoop now secured by buckskin thong. White overlay designs in horizontal bands. From top: connected diamonds, zigzag, chevrons, and two dotted bands. 2-faced overlay. Large hoop sewn on inside to form rim lower hoop lattice-stitched to outside approximately 7 cm from bottom. Mostly plain weave; one row of 3-strand twining at the bottom, then 3 rows plain, 4 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, 3 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, hoop, then all plain twining above. Tags "Wailaki". Tag "1005" stapled to basket. Per Ralph Shanks: Twined mortar hopper basket with flaring sides, used. The start is missing. The diameter of the hole is 5.5 inches. The warps are peeled shoots. The wefts are conifer root and a design overlay of beargrass. The basket starts with two rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by four rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by three rows of three strand twining, followed by one row of lattice twining with one rod, followed by plain twining to the rim. The rim has a small area of exposed warps followed by two rows of plain twining, sometimes over two warps. Through this gap the wrapping for the reinforcing rod is threaded. A leather strap is wrapped on one edge. The design is in horizontal bands: two bands of checkered beargrass, followed by a band of chevrons, followed by a band of zigzags, followed by a band of diamonds. The overlay is irregularly double-sided, with the main design on the exterior. The basket undulates. There is an up to the right slant of weft twist and a rightward work direction, with an exterior workface.Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Mortar basket, accession number 1-12072, described as Mortar basket, grimy from usage. End of rim hoop now secured by buckskin thong. White overlay designs in horizontal bands. From top: connected diamonds, zigzag, chevrons, and two dotted bands. 2-faced overlay. Large hoop sewn on inside to form rim lower hoop lattice-stitched to outside approximately 7 cm from bottom. Mostly plain weave; one row of 3-strand twining at the bottom, then 3 rows plain, 4 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, 3 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, hoop, then all plain twining above. Tags "Wailaki". Tag "1005" stapled to basket. Per Ralph Shanks: Twined mortar hopper basket with flaring sides, used. The start is missing. The diameter of the hole is 5.5 inches. The warps are peeled shoots. The wefts are conifer root and a design overlay of beargrass. The basket starts with two rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by four rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by three rows of three strand twining, followed by one row of lattice twining with one rod, followed by plain twining to the rim. The rim has a small area of exposed warps followed by two rows of plain twining, sometimes over two warps. Through this gap the wrapping for the reinforcing rod is threaded. A leather strap is wrapped on one edge. The design is in horizontal bands: two bands of checkered beargrass, followed by a band of chevrons, followed by a band of zigzags, followed by a band of diamonds. The overlay is irregularly double-sided, with the main design on the exterior. The basket undulates. There is an up to the right slant of weft twist and a rightward work direction, with an exterior workface.Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Mortar basket, accession number 1-12072, described as Mortar basket, grimy from usage. End of rim hoop now secured by buckskin thong. White overlay designs in horizontal bands. From top: connected diamonds, zigzag, chevrons, and two dotted bands. 2-faced overlay. Large hoop sewn on inside to form rim lower hoop lattice-stitched to outside approximately 7 cm from bottom. Mostly plain weave; one row of 3-strand twining at the bottom, then 3 rows plain, 4 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, 3 rows 3-strand, 3 rows plain, hoop, then all plain twining above. Tags "Wailaki". Tag "1005" stapled to basket. Per Ralph Shanks: Twined mortar hopper basket with flaring sides, used. The start is missing. The diameter of the hole is 5.5 inches. The warps are peeled shoots. The wefts are conifer root and a design overlay of beargrass. The basket starts with two rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by four rows of three strand twining, followed by three rows of plain twining, followed by three rows of three strand twining, followed by one row of lattice twining with one rod, followed by plain twining to the rim. The rim has a small area of exposed warps followed by two rows of plain twining, sometimes over two warps. Through this gap the wrapping for the reinforcing rod is threaded. A leather strap is wrapped on one edge. The design is in horizontal bands: two bands of checkered beargrass, followed by a band of chevrons, followed by a band of zigzags, followed by a band of diamonds. The overlay is irregularly double-sided, with the main design on the exterior. The basket undulates. There is an up to the right slant of weft twist and a rightward work direction, with an exterior workface.

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