Boas] DESIGN ELEMENTS 253 
THE CHEVRON 
The chevron (pl. 21, 6) should be discussed before taking up the 
subject of the diamond and hexagon. Its presence is very significant 
and doubtless has been influential in the development of diagona! 
designs. It does not seem probable that the figure was derived 
from the vertical zigzag (pls. 33, c, e; 76) which is merely a diagonal 
line which changes the trend of its direction from right to left or 
vice versa at given intervals, although it is closely allied to it. The 
chevron starts with a single stitch from which others branch to 
right and left simultaneously. The fact that it is found so widely 
with several elaborations both on old and new baskets suggests that 
it is very old. It is nearly always interpreted as the flying bird 
design and as such is often elaborated (pls. 21, a; 24, 6). In its 
inverted form, appearing singly or in opposition to others placed apex 
downward, it is much less commonly seen and is undoubtedly newer. 
Still more rarely is it turned on its side so that the apex lies to the right 
or left. It is a design which seems to be suited equally well to all 
shapes of baskets, especially when arranged in a vertical series. 
On round flat shapes these series radiate from the center; on rectan- 
gular and cylindrical forms they ascend side by side from base to 
rim. The sides of the angles often overlap. The series of plates 
which illustrate squares, rectangles, and triangles, as well as Plates 
7, c; 35, d; 37, e; 38, ¢, d, give some good ideas also of the forms and 
varieties of chevrons. They likewise indicate their popularity. 
THE FALSE TRIANGLE 
The term “‘false triangle’ is not synonymous with chevron, for the 
latter implies diverging lines, the former a solid figure in which, 
however, the idea of divergence is prominent, as in the emphasizing 
of the angle rather than the inclosed triangle which requires a con- 
tinuation of the outline across the base. These false triangles are 
illustrated on Plates 44, d, f; 45, c; 46, a. 
THE DIAMOND 
The diamond is an old figure in Thompson art, for it is found on 
many well-worn and even ancient baskets, as well as on modern speci- 
mens. It occurs frequently as a separate element (pls. 37, c; 76), either 
outlined in a dark color or as a solid or checkered figure (pl. 17, ¢, f). 
It is often subdivided by diamonds of contrasting colors arranged 
within it in concentric order. Plate 38, d, shows a diamond outlined 
in three rows, black, white, and black, and combined with chevrons 
to form a design. There are black diamonds outlined in white and 
black (pl. 49, c) and black and white ones outlined in black (pls. 17, b; 
25, b), as well as others consisting of bare or imbricated surfaces 
