THE NOMADIC PKOlM.KS. 149 



Avay, inornin^star, and a rainbow. I'lu^sc* particfular 

 thin^;s are considered very sacred; and in spite of the 

 denials of many of the women it is })r()bable that Mesca- 

 lei-() l)askets do often have symbols on them which are 

 expected to benefit the users of the basket. 



The basket makers of Arizona, the Apache, Yavapai, 

 Pima and Papago, make baskets in black and w^hite 

 exclusively. The Apache and Yavapai baskets are 

 made on a single rod, coiled foundation, either of aroma- 

 tic sumach or willow. The warp or sewing material, 

 is of sumach, willow^, or cottonwood, and is prepared as 

 has been described above. No dyes are employed, 

 but for black, the outer portion of the dried pods of the 

 martynia, sometimes called devil's claw, is used. The 

 patterns are continuous, radiating from the center in 

 zigzags or in bands encircling the basket. They are 

 usually geometrical and apparently are not symbolic. 

 The Yavapai, who of those named, perhaps produce the 

 most beautiful baskets, frequently depict men and 

 animals, conventionalized to meet the requirements of 

 basket w^ork. Carrying baskets of the Western Apache 

 are twined and are made of the same materials em- 

 ployed by the Mescalero. In twining, two rods of the 

 foundation are enclosed each time between the twists 

 of the tw^ining strands. Strips and fringes of buckskin 

 are usually used on these baskets. They generally 

 make their water jars by twining. They give them a 

 coat of red ochre and finely pounded juniper leaves 

 before the piiion pitch is applied. 



The baskets of the Pima and Papago w^hich closely 



