2 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XVII, 



in consequence, distinguish several more or less clearly defined 

 areas, each of which has a somewhat characteristic type of 

 basketry and design. There is, of course, much intergrading, 

 much that is difficult to classify; but on the whole the type 

 areas are quite clearly distinguishable. Leaving the more 

 detailed discussion of these type areas till later, it will be 

 sufficient to outline briefly the different areas proposed. Be 

 ginning at the north, we have what might be called the 

 Northwestern Type, which includes the area occupied by the 

 Hupa (Athapascan), Karok (Quoratean),Yurok (Weitspekan), 

 and perhaps the Shasta (Sastean). The Northeastern Type 

 would comprise the Modoc and Klamath (Lutuamian), Shasta 

 '(?), Pit Rivers (Palainihan), Yana (?), Wintun (Copehan), 

 and Maidu (Pujunan). The Porno Type is confined appar 

 ently to this stock (Kulanapan). The relations of the Yuki 

 (Yukian) and Costanoan are still doubtful. This division 

 must be regarded as only provisional, and further study and 

 material may serve to alter it here and there. 1 



Each type area includes, as a rule, several distinct groups 

 of tribes, each group possessing, as will be seen, its own dis 

 tinctive type of design. In discussing the designs, therefore, 

 each group will be considered separately, beginning with the 

 Maidu, in regard to which the information is most complete. 



DESIGNS OF THE NORTHEASTERN AREA. 



MAIDU. The Indians of this stock occupied the region 

 which may be described roughly as lying east of the Sacra 

 mento River, extending as far as the Nevada line, and stretch 

 ing north and south from the southern line of Lassen and 

 Tehama Counties to the Cosumnes River. A brief description 

 of a number of designs from this stock has already been given 

 elsewhere. 2 Further collections from all parts of the Maidu 

 territory have afforded a large amount of new material; and, 



1 The majority of the baskets the designs of which are here discussed belong to the 

 second or Northeastern Type, and were collected during the years 1899 and 1900. A 

 few baskets are included from the Southeastern Type for comparison, although the 

 meaning of the designs was not obtained ._ The Porno baskets are from a collection 

 purchased by the Museum, and the meanings of the designs are those given by the 

 collector, Mr. Carl Purdy. 



2 R. B. Dixon, Basketry Designs of the Maidu Indians of California (American 

 Anthropologist, N.S., Vol. II, pp. 266-276). 



