364 COILED BASKETRY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA [erH. ANN. 41 
It was through wide acquaintance with and interest in all forms 
of art practiced by these northern tribes and particularly in the 
ornamental designs wrought on skin clothing by means of the ancient 
porcupine-quill embroidery that Dr. Franz Boas first noted points of 
similarity between these and some of the patterns applied to basketry. 
He at once sensed the connection, but it was not until recently that 
a number of very old skin garments from the Northwest were again 
unearthed at the American Museum of Natural History for purposes 
of comparison. Although the quillwork was falling to pieces and in 
places entirely gone, so that accurate reproductions of the designs 
were in many cases rendered hopeless, it was possible to see that a 
great number of so-called “‘fly” patterns had been employed which 
were practically the same as those used on basketry. Since most of 
the quillwork is in horizontal bands on these garments, the patterns 
so arranged on the baskets are most nearly like them. The few that 
were capable of reproduction are given in Figure 108. Some others 
Fic. 109.—Quillwork and basket embroidery from Tlingit, Alaska. Field Museum 
from the Field Museum may be seen in Figure 109. Designs of 
Figure 108 and b, ¢, of 109 are especially common on baskets. It 
will be remembered that many old basket patterns of the Thompson 
given in the list of sketches were interpreted as embroidery designs.: 
Thinking that these might offer a clue, they were for convenience 
collected by the writer in Figures 110 and 111. The results were 
very interesting, for the checker and fly patterns predominate and 
in general character are quite similar to the old quillwork patterns. 
The question of technique, however, is more interesting and en- 
lightening than the designs themselves. The Koryak of Siberia cut 
slits in the edges of their fur or skin robes and decorate them as 
described by Jochelson,® who says: ‘‘A series of narrow slits are 
made in the black skin which is to be decorated (fig. 112). <A strip 
of white dogskin of the same width as the slits is laid under the line 
of the slits and a small loop of this skin is pushed from underneath 
6§ Jochelson, The Koryak, Jesup North Pacific Expedition, vol. 6, pt. 2, p. 679. 
