Boas] FORMS AND PURPOSES OF BASKETS 197 
Often when a bottom is quite badly worn it is cut from the basket, 
together with the lowest coils of the sides back to where they are 
sound. A new bottom is made separately, which can be almost 
exactly fitted to the opening, and this is sewed in, the splint passing 
through and joining the edges of the walls to those of the bottom. 
The stitch may include a coil or two on either side, at least in places. 
But as mending entails no small amount of labor, few people seek 
to preserve their baskets and prefer to make new ones. 
FORMS AND PURPOSES OF BASKETS 
According to tradition, in olden times there were 10 different 
kinds of baskets recognized by the tribe. These fall naturally into 
four groups according to their general shapes. (See appendix, 
p- 395.) They are: 
Group I. Burden baskets: (fig. 26, p. 198). 
1. Tsi.’a, common large burden basket. 
2. Tsi.he’tsa, shallower and smaller form of burden basket, generally 
two-thirds to three-quarters the size of the tsi.’a. 
3. Spa’nék, small burden basket about half the size of the tsi.’a. 
4. Spa’penek, smallest burden basket, about one-quarter the size of 
the tsi.’a. 
Group II. Round baskets, basins, pails, bowls, kettles (fig. 27, p. 201). 
5. .nk6’nten, a large circular basket (kettle). 
6. .nko’korten, small circular basket, the size of a large bowl. 
Group III. Nut- and pot-shaped baskets (fig. 28, p. 203). 
7. .stkomoxe’lemox, small round basket. 
8. Stkapuxé’lemox, nut-shaped basket. 
Group IV. Storage baskets (fig. 29, p. 206). 
9. .stlik, large storage basket, oblong, with rounded corners, high 
shoulders. 
10. .stli.lk., smaller size of same shape, workbasket (?). 
In addition to these four groups, all of which are represented by old 
and well-established forms, there are numerous “‘freak”’ shapes, copies 
of more or less modern utensils, boxes and dishes, which, although 
showing many variations, are classed together in a fifth group. 
The basis of this last classification is merely that the forms are not 
indigenous. One quite old shape which is not included by the in- 
formants in the original four groups but which certainly was made 
from very early times, is the tray, frequently of great width, but 
very shallow or even flat. 
Each of the four original groups is represented by numerous 
gradations in size, as well as form, especially the last named. Some 
forms are due to modern influences which have crept in gradually. 
The classification given above is therefore not rigid and must seek 
justification also from the purpose to which each group of baskets 
is put. Group I are used chiefly for dry burdens of all descriptions, 
Group II are for liquids, Group ILI are for the storage of small articles, 
