414 



KEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1902. 



HAIDA BASKETKY 



The Haida Indians live on Queen Charlotte Archipelago and adjacent 

 islands. Their basket work is all in twined weaving and differs from 



that of the Tlinkits in 



artistic finish only, owing 

 pro])al)ly to the demands 

 of trade. Their wallets 

 of spruce are devoid of 

 decoration, save here and 

 there a band in plain 

 black color, as would be 

 the Tlinkit without em- 

 broidery; but hats made 

 by these Indians are mas- 

 terpieces in execution and 

 ornamental weaving. The 

 crown is in three strand 

 or plain twined weaving 

 of the most delicate work- 

 manship, and the fabric 

 is perfectly water-tight 

 when thoroughly wet. 

 Ornamentation is intro- 

 duced into the brims b}'^ 

 a series of diamond pat. 

 terns in twilled weave 

 covering the whole sur- 

 face. This decoration is 

 produced thus: Beginning 



at a certain point, the weaver includes two warp strands in a half twist 



instead of one; then makes two regular twists around single Avarp 



strands. The next time she weaves around 



she repeats the process, but her double 



stitch is one warp stem in advance of or 



behind its predecessor. A twilled effect of 



any shape may be thus produced, and 



rhombs, triangulated fillets, and chevrons 



made to appear on either surface. (See 



figs. 143 and l-tl.) 



The fastening off of the work is done 



either by bending down the free ends of 



the warp and shoving them out of sight 



under the stitches of the twisted web or a 



braid of four strands forms the last row, set on so that the braid 



shows outside and only one strand at a time shows inside. The ends 



of the warp splints are then cropped close to the braid. 



Fig. 145. 



twined openwork basket. 



Haida Indians. 



Cat. No. 88!lfi4, U.S.N. M. Collected by James (J. Swan. 



Fig. 146. 

 detail of fig. 145. 



