STORAGE
c. 1900
Pima—Arizona
Case No. 10:
This basket was used for storing mesquite beans after they had been hulled. It is doubtful if this type of basket has been made since 1900. (See [Plate 8a])
For storage baskets of other tribes see:
[Plate 6a]: Cherokee [Plate 6d]: Ottawa [Plate 7a]: Cherokee
SEED CONTAINER
c. 300 A.D.
Pueblo II—Colorado
Case No. 4:
Evidence of the importance of basketry among the southwestern peoples of the United States in the first few centuries of our era lies in the fact that these peoples and their culture are referred to as the “Basket Makers.”
This basket dates back to approximately 300 A.D., about 1600 years ago. It was used as a seed container to store squash and pumpkin seeds until the next planting season. It was found in the cliff dwellings of the San Juan River basin near Mesa Verde, Colorado. (See [Plate 7b])