AHORUUNAL AMKKrCAN 15ASKKTKV. 19] 



The tool almost utii\-(M'sally cniploycd in the inamil'act iirc of coiled 

 AVai'(> is a bone awl or pricker. ()!' the manipulation of tlie matei-iai 

 previously to the weaving little is known. 



In the technical drawing's accompanyinu- this })aper the actual sizeol" 

 the specimens is o'eiu'raily indicated hy a series of inch marks in 

 the niaro'in. The inches on the standai'd line ai'e shown li\ spaces 

 between dots. In order to indicat(^ exactly the manner of weaxino-, a 

 stpiare, usually an inch in dim(MisioM. is taken from a ])oi'tion of the 

 surface wherein all the methods of maiii[)ulation occur. This s(piare. 

 is enlaru'ed sutiiciently to maki^ the structure comprehensihje. 'I'his 

 plan enat)h's one to show form and ornamentation in the whole Hirure, 

 as well as the method of treatment in the eidaroed inch. 



The writer is indol)ted to a large numlx'r of fricMids in various ])arls 

 of the. United States, especially on the Pacific slope, who have u-i\-eit 

 him access to tluMr \aluat)le collections, furnished informatioji, and 

 sent i)hotographs. Especial thanks are due to F. V. Coville for writing 

 the chapter on plants, to William H. Holmes for a(l\ice in matters of 

 ornamentation, and to Dr. C. Hart Merrituu for privilege of studying 

 the |)recious colleetion made by him. Many friends who have gener- 

 ously given their specitd knowledge and supj)lie(l photographs and 

 illustrations will be mentioned in tlie proi)er place. At the same time 

 he would express his admiration of their zeal and generosity, through 

 which the Syl)illine lea\'es of an almost lost chapter in hmnan industi-ial 

 history has been rescued from ol)livion. 



AVith a few exceptions the m;d<ers of baskets are women. In i\w 

 division of labor belongitig to the lowest stages of culture the indus- 

 trial arts were fostered by women, the nnlitary and aggressive arts by 

 men. It is a wtdl-known rule in these first stages of pri^gress that, 

 with few exceptions, the user of an implement or utensil was the 

 maker of it. There are })eoi)le on the earth among whom the men arc 

 the basket makers. Indeed, for ceremonial })urposcs our own Indian 

 priests or medicine men arc fre<[uently the makers of their own basket 

 drums, etc. 



xA..s soon as tlie products of this art entered into the world's com- 

 merce, and uncanny machinery was necessary for the manufacture, the 

 art of ))asket weaving pass(^d from the hands of its fostei- mothers and 

 became man's work, but in the Western Hemisphere almost exclusively 

 the basket makers ha\"e been women. 



It is a matter of profound regret that already over much of the 

 United States the art has degenerated, or at least has been moditi<Hl. 

 In methods, forms, and colors truly old things ha\e passed away, and, 

 behold, all things have become new. But proof is forthcoming that 

 the contrary is true in some places. The Hyde Expedition and other 

 associations have made determined etiorts to resist the demoralizing 

 influences of trade. 



