Plant fiberexpand_more
Gift of Robert and Carolyn Nelsonexpand_more 2004.174.7
Baskets were used in every Akimel O'odham (Pima) household well into the 20th century. Usually carried on women's heads, they were utilized to transport everything, even liquids. The baskets were watertight as a result of the skill of the weavers and the techniques they employed. They were also used as sinks, to brew saguaro-fruit wine, as mixing bowls or winnowing trays. Large shallow bowls such as this one were the most common form. It was woven of a combination of willow and devil's claw, which provides the dark accents. The center of the design is named the vortex, and basket patterns are built out from this central element. The vibrant design of this basket echoes the dynamic aesthetic of the Akimel O'odham's Hohokam ancestors.
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