Can you think how they might have found a way to stain their baskets? Do you ever get stains in your clothing? What stains will wash out most easily? What stains do not come out easily? Which ones would you like to use to stain a basket? Do we have anything in our houses that we stain on purpose? What do we use to stain with?
Have you ever seen colored earth? Can you think what it is used for? Why do you think the Cave-men liked to find colored earth?
Where do you put water to boil it? Why did the Cave-men learn to roast food before they learned to boil it?
Did you ever see anybody make dyes? Do you think people could make dyes before they learned to boil water?
Can you think of ways in which the Cave-men might have changed the color of grasses, splints, and reeds before they learned how to boil water and to make such dyes as we use to-day? Why do you think they would wish to color them?
How the Women Colored Their Baskets
The women took a great deal of pains in weaving baskets.
They wove the ends in carefully so they would not pull out.
They bound the rims on neatly, so as to make the baskets strong.