136 THE PIMA INDIANS [eth. anx. L>6 



the patterns long ago from the Hohokam pottery." Wliile these state- 

 ments are true in the main, some of the elements will be seen to be of 

 wide distribution and some are peculiar to the Pacific coast. Tliero 

 are three common designs: Those embodying tlie fret, the equal-armed 

 cross, and tlie spiral. Nearly all that do not represent these directly 

 are more or less evident modifications of tliem. The fret, whicli the 

 Pimas probably with trutii called tlie oklest motive, leads almost 

 directly into the swastika and suavastika pattern, as sho\ni in tlie 

 illustrations. The flower design based upon the cross is apparentlv 

 the same as that on the necks of water jars made by the Hohokam, 

 and such vessels are similarly decorated to the present day by both 

 Pimas and Papagos. On the potter}^ the design is laid upon a ((mvex 

 surface, while in the baskets it is worked upon the interior, or concave, 

 side. The elements of the design are, first, a series of four radiating 

 arms of black separating the petal-like areas wliich are usually in 

 the shape of spherical triangles. The second element is a series of 

 encircling lines that lie parallel to the radiating bars and follow their 

 outline entirely around the basket, having also rectangular enlarge- 

 ments w^here they change direction to cross the ends of the bars or to 

 follow along their sides. It is just such a design as might easily 

 originate in pottery decoration where a complete line may ])e traced 

 continuously, but it is not one that can be easily explainetl if it is 

 assumed that it originated in basketry, especially when it is remem- 

 bereil that these people prepare no pattern whatever beforehand, but 

 develop the designs upon the baskets as pre\aously conceived in the 

 mind. 



The volute, or whorl, is a common motive in primitive art, and is 

 especially fi-ecjuent in Southwestern basketry. As the angular weav- 

 ing necessitates irregularities in the lines of curvature, they are not 

 infre({uently modified by terrace-like enlargements. Terraces are used 

 in combination with nearly all the otiier elements known to the basket 

 maker. 



It will be observed that tlie decoration of Pima baskets is in Idack 

 on a white ground for the most part, yet the proportions vary greatly. 

 Brown, and more rarely some otiier (^olor, may be seen in perhaps one 

 basket in a thousand. Occasionally a basket is made with a dozen or 

 more blue glass beads fastened on the bonier at equal intervals by 

 weft splints passing through them. Rarely, work or trinket baskets 

 are made to sell that have open spaces in their sides. 



Description of Plates 



The fret is a common motive in Pima basketn,^ In the small — and 

 usually badly inade — baskets it is commonly single and of uniforni 

 width. In the first of our series (pi. xxii, a) it appears as a double 

 line with five folds. Had there been but four the effect of the whole 



