Sifting basket. Tag: "Tcugatci Lassik" , second tag "Lassik". Third "Lassik". Per Ralph Shanks: Twined basket tray, with large amounts of food residue, probably used for serving food. Crossed warp starting knot, not Northwestern California style. Warps are a peeled shoot, possibly willow (Salix), and the wefts are conifer root (Pinophyta) with a beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax) overlay. Starting at the starting knot there is three strand twining for 1/2 inch, followed by plain twining for 3/4 inch, followed by one weft row of lattice twining, followed by one weft row of three strand twining, followed by 3 1/4 inches are plain twining, followed by one weft row of lattice twining, followed by one weft row of three strand twining, followed by eight weft rows of plain twining. The rim is trimmed; part of the last weft row is missing. The design is six horizontal bands of beargrass, three of which are triangles, the rest are plain lines. The basket has an exterior workface. The overlay is on the exterior and irregularly on the interior. The slant of weft twist is up to the right; the work direction is to the right. The basket slightly undulates.
Donor:
Phoebe Apperson Hearst and University of California Archaeological Survey
Collection place:
Blocksburg, Humboldt County, California
Verbatim coll. place:
California; Humboldt; Blocksburg
Culture or time period:
Lassik
Collector:
Pliny Earle Goddard
Collection date:
1903
Materials:
Common beargrass, Conifer root, and Willow (wood)
Taxon:
Pinophyta, Salix, and Xerophyllum tenax
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Baskets (containers) and Twined weaving
Function:
1.5 Household
Accession date:
1903
Context of use:
Sifting basket.
Department:
Native California (archaeology and ethnology)
Dimensions:
diameter 26 centimeters
Comment:
Native name: "Tcugatci" Photo: "15-8615" Remarks: "For materials see Supplementary catalogue 1, p. 17" Per Ruth Merrill: Weft is possibly spruce (Picea sp.)