ABORIGINAL AMElllCAN BASKETRY. 317 



crod from the hand of the maker, together with the song of the soul 

 whose melody is written there also, makes plain what is here set forth. 



Professor Farrand calls attention wisely to the fact that in the 

 reduction of symbols to their lowest terms yery dissimilar forms haye 

 converged until the same figure does duty for many objects, the 

 technical exigenc}' or strain predominating. This has led to differ- 

 ences of opinion among natiye connoisseurs and fre(|uently confusion 

 to the ethnologist. The same obseryation would ])e true in working 

 the other way. It is only in most recent times that psychologists haye 

 appreciated the power of suggestion in helping one to determined action. 



Recently a package of beautifully marked shells were sent to the 

 National Museum as the probalde origin of designs in sayage art. 

 Nothing could l)e farther from the truth. Form does not come to the 

 sayage artist's mind in that way. Whether the syml)ol arise l>y con- 

 ti'action or expansion, the artist is the creator of new forins, working 

 always within the school of her materials and tools. 



Wicker basketry in its worst state is positiyely ugly. In the eastern 

 part of North America no attempt is made to put a legend upon it, 

 but in New Mexico and Arizona it is found in two forms side by side, 

 one as plain as undressed stems can be made and the other at the top- 

 most point of pictorial representation. In Oraibi, the most western 

 of the Hopi (I\Ioki) towns, are made the pretty little wicker plaques 

 called Katchinas. The finding of fragments of these in ancient ruins 

 by Dr. Fewkes is good proof that th(\y have long been made by the 

 Hopi. Farther on, the designs themselves will be examined. They 

 are mentioned here rather to show that where there is a will with the 

 human species, of whatever color, there is a way. Examples of 

 Katchinas are shown in Plates 85 and 93. The Ilopi wicker plaques 

 are made up of short stems of CJtrysotlutinnus that have been previously 

 smoothed and dyed in as many colors as are needed. The work resem- 

 bles closely that in porcupine quills. Figures do not show effectively 

 on the back, for the reason that a single stem often passes over only 

 one warp element. Sj^mbols of complex pattern are also fi'equentl}^ 

 finished out with the brush. In many of the intricate symbols on the 

 Katchinas the narrow limitations of the material and the curve of 

 texture that can go in one direction only put th(». artist to her wits' 

 end for conventionalisms. She does not mind, but goes ahead. True, 

 a rainbow nnist be upside down, the sky goddess must have rectangular 

 eyes and mouth. There is no perspective, the round must be flat, and 

 even those features that are out of sight must be l)rought to view. 

 Never mind, the ideal wins and the plaque is ffnished. 



With twined work the case is different. All its varieties are capa- 

 ble in themselves of expressing ideas even in one color, l)ut as soon as 

 overlaying, embroidery, and the use of different hues are added there 

 is practically no end to the possibilities. In this connection the reader 

 may be reminded again that designs must not l)e confounded with sym- 



