336 COILED BASKETRY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA [ETH. ANN. 41 
a great number and which the Thompson may have learned to make 
from them, are adorned with designs applied to the walls in vertical 
stripes, the ordinary method of application, especially on burden 
baskets, is in horizontal zones, generally two. The upper of these is 
entirely imbricated both for background and designs, while the lower 
contains only short vertical stripes which extend part way into it from 
the upper field. Occasionally the imbricated field is replaced by one 
decorated solely with beading, which, however, does not necessarily 
encircle the four walls of the basket, for the Lillooet are not much 
disturbed by lack of symmetry. (Pls. 55, a, c, g; 57, c¢, g.) They some- 
times adorn three sides and leave the fourth bare, or place upon it 
totally unrelated figures. Or they may treat opposite faces similarly 
but choose for the pairs designs which have no artistic relationship. 
While they recognize the 
value of the filler and 
make use of it to some ex- 
1 
Perea ery oF 
“|| 
me 
tent, they are evidently not ae ae Fe 
as impressed with its desir- 4 ae 
ability as the Thompson. ee, jz, 
uy: 
Plate 55, h, shows the 
introduction of two fillers, 
one of which comes ex- 
actly on the corner, the 
other on the face. It is 
possible that these are 
parts of the design proper. 
Plate 56, 6, shows a very unusual Lillooet specimen with fillers in 
both upper corners. The peculiar feature of this basket is the 
bifureated stitch which is carrried throughout as a means of 
decoration. The Lillooet rarely treat their stitches in this way, 
a device characteristic of Chilcotin and Shuswap basketry. Al- 
though the bifurcation is so carefully done, it has not resulted 
in more vertical designs, as is the case frequently with the Chilcotin, 
because the individual stitches show a pronounced leftward 
lean. Other specimens with fillers are shown in Figure 99 and 
Plates 55, e, and 57, e. It is worthy of note that Lillooet fillers are 
practically always in keeping with some part of the main design, 
while the Thompson sometimes use totally unrelated elements. 
Another evidence of a more refined artistic sense is to be found in 
the more graceful forms. The Lillooet burden basket, although 
more angular in many cases, with its tapering form and extremely 
narrow base, is greatly admired by the Thompson women, who strive 
to imitate it. Some of the other forms shown in Figure 100 and 
Plates 56, a, and 57, f, are also very good. The Lillooet do not have 
as much trouble with the corners as do the Thompson, because they 
Fic. 99.—Lillooet basket 
