22 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. XXXV. 



Herringbone. — Basketry technic in which chevron patterns are in 

 parallel series. 



Hexagonal work.— Basketwork in which dextral, sinistral, and 

 horizontal splits or strips of equal width and flexibility are so inter- 

 twined as to produce hexagons in the checks. (See Plates III, VII, 

 figs. 18, 19, 20, and Lehmann, figs. 48, 53, 54, 55.) 



Cat. No. 221524, U.S.N.M., is an excellent specimen of hexagonal 

 work. (Plate VII.) The plate shows a burden crate reminding one 

 impressively of the California Indian cradles. Noteworthy are (a) 

 the light, strong framework and border of rattan half stems bound 

 together over the rim of the weaving all around and having the gap 

 on the margin covered with a thin split; (b) the rhomb and triangle 



work in the footing, 

 produced by differ- 

 ent technic of the 

 three elements; (c) 

 the broad backing 

 of bark; (d) the 

 strengthening o f 

 the carrying parts 

 with additional half 

 stems, and (e) the 

 head strap of tough 

 bast. The multiply- 

 ing of structural 

 parts in Malaysian 

 basketry and the di- 

 versity of technical 

 process as compared 

 with American bas- 

 kets are well illustrated in this specimen. If the horizontal splits 

 be removed the other elements are latticed, the dextrals being out- 

 side The horizontals bind all by passing outside of dextrals and 

 inside of sinistrals. The obliques on the footing are not latticed, but 

 closely woven, the horizontals crossing the intersections in pairs. 



Cat. No. 237121, U.S.N.M., explains the crossing of parts in hexa- 

 gon weaving (fig. 19). In this example the textile elements are in 

 pairs. The introduction of a hoop for a horizontal split and doubling 

 the number of uprights produces oblong pentagons. 



Fig. 20, Cat. Xo. 221563, U.S.N.M., from an Abbott basket of Siaba 

 Bay, Nias Island, illustrates another type of the hexagonal work, 

 differing from Cat. No. 221524, Plate VII, in having the horizontals 

 wide and thin hoops, while the obliques are slender splits. 



Hitched work. — Technic in which the process called hitching is 

 used. The brown race are the masters of it. The Malay knot, which 



Fig. 19. — Hexagonal elements in pairs. 



