362-191<BR> Chemehuevi basketry jar; willow, devil's claw, buckskin, cotton; h. 16.5 cm., w. 19.5 cm.; ca. 1880.<BR> This seed jar is round and bulbous in shape, but has a flat base. It is coiled clockwise, a peculiar characteristic of Chemehuevi basketry, as are the three willow rods that constitute the foundation of the coils which are wrapped with light colored willow (Salix). The Chemehuevis distinguished two species of willow which they probably both used for their basketry and which they called sagah and kanavi (Laird 1976:106). The design, applied in three horizontal bands around the jar at the top, in the middle and on the bottom, is executed in black devil's claw (Proboscidea altheaefolia). Each band shows a different pattern: triangles at the top; a white zigzag pattern is the result of two interlocking bands of black triangles around the middle; and a stepped block band surrounds the lower part of the jar. The top pattern is separated from the rim coil, and the final coil is finished in black, another characteristic of Chemehuevi basketry. The application of three instead of two decorative bands is exceptional for such an early basket, but this practice became more common around the turn of the century. Two narrow buckskin loops are fastened to the rim, to which is attached a carrying handle made of cloth (Hovens and Herlaar 2004:548; cf. Robinson 1954:142-147; Smith and Simpson 1964:16,26,29-32; Conn 1979:239; Kania 2006).<BR> <BR> 362-118, 119, 191, 192 Chemehuevi basketry<BR> Early documented collections of Chemehuevi basketry are at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (the Ammann collection from 1898-1913; Kania 2007), the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC (acquired from the Fred Harvey Company in 1903; Mason 1904:518-519, plate 232), the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, PA (the George Wharton James collection, acquired in 1902), the Hearst Museum of Anthropology in Berkeley, CA (collected by Kroeber between 1904 and 1908), and the Field Museum in Chicago, IL (acquired by George Dorsey in 1904; Kania 2006:70). Thus, the specimens Ten Kate collected on the Fort Mohave Indian reservation in 1883 are probably the earliest documented Chemehuevi baskets.<BR> The study of Chemehuevi basketry has been neglected by anthropologists. Singular observations on the craft are scattered throughout the literature, but do not provide a clear or coherent, let alone a complete picture (cf. Smith and Simpson 1964:15-32). Clara Lee Tanner (1983:216-225) provided the best initial study, based on an analysis of the large Birdie Brown collection at the Colorado River Indian Tribes Museum in Parker, Arizona, as well as many items from other museums and private collections. Santa Fe gallery owner John J. Kania must be credited with several subsequent studies of various collections (2006, 2007).<BR> The four Chemehuevi baskets collected by Ten Kate fit the characterization of the tribal craft by Tanner. All are coiled clockwise, using a three-rod foundation, and have decorative designs. These were considered as the personal property of weavers and one did not infringe thereon. Although some authors have stated that the Chemehuevis only made coiled baskets, others have qualified that statement (Smith and Simpson 1964:16; Dalrymple 2000:57-67). Ten Kate witnessed twined conical burden baskets and winnowing trays as still being produced in 1883, types typical of traditional Numic basketry from the Great Basin. He was correct in assuming that the Chemehuevis traded their fine basketry with other Colorado River tribes. When the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1883, Chemehuevi basketmakers also produced ware for sale to travelers and tourists.<BR> <BR> Color photo<BR> Chemehuevi basketmaker; postcard (RMV col. 5910-44)<BR> <BR> Een kleine bolvormige mand. De mand is in een spiraal met de klok meegevlochten, een karakteristiek kenmerk van Chemehuevi vlechtwerk. Drie wilgentenen vormen de basis van de spiralen, die met lichtgekleurde wilg zijn omwikkeld. Voor het patroon, bestaande uit drie horizontale banden aan de bovenkant, in het midden en aan de onderkant van de mand, is gebruik gemaakt van zwarte duivelsklauw. Elke band vertoont een ander patroon: de bovenste heeft driehoekjes, de middelste een wit zigzagpatroon, dat wordt gevormd door twee in elkaar hakende banden van zwarte driehoekje en de onderste gestapelde blokjes. De bovenste band is van de rand van de mand gescheiden en de laatste spiraal is afgemaakt in zwart, nog een kenmerk van het Chemehuevi-mandenwerk. Met yucca-wortels konden donkerbruine patronen worden ingevlochten en met wortels van de Joshua-boom ontstonden rode motieven. Zo nu en dan werden motieven met verf aangebracht.<BR>