38 



PREHISTORIC TEXTILE ART. 



[ETH. ANN. 13 



queiit investigations, ;i nnniber of slight inacctiraeies of analysis and 

 drawing occur in that paper, but they are of such minor importance 

 that detailed correction is unnecessary. 



It would seem that imprints of cloth woven in the plain interlaced 

 style appear to be quite rare, altliongh it is difficult, from the im])res- 

 sious on clay, to distinguish this from other forms when the threads 

 are closely impacted. lu somewhat rare cases the interlacing is so 

 arranged and alternated as to give diagitnal effects as iu a specimen 



Fir. 12.— Split cane matting from Petite Anse idlaDd, Louisiana. 



shown in figure 13.- These effects are peculiar to the interlaced fabrics, 

 not being produced in twined or netted work. 



It has been supposed that vessels of clay were often modeled in bask- 

 ets, and that the native earthenware preserved numerous impressions of 

 baskets. On closer analysis these impressions turn out to be the applica- 

 tion of pliable cloths, or of cords singly or in groups, or of stamps covered 

 with textiles or having geometric textile like patterns engraved on them. 

 I can not recall a single example from eastern United States iu which it 

 is entirely clear that the clay A'essel was modeled iu a basket. The 

 impressions of basket work occasionally seen are only partial, having 

 been applied after the vessel was practically finished. 



I present in figure 1.3, a small earthen vessel from a mound iu North 

 Carolina, the entire exterior surface of which is marked with a fabric, 



