PC AT1
This basket was acquired while the owner lived in Owen Bay or Redonda Bay. The maker is believed to have been from the Homalco community of Church House. Judging by the similarities it may have been made by the same individual who made MCR 983.15.1. There are also similarities with MCR 2010.19.1. Both of these baskets are included in this inventory.
Rectangular slat coiled basket with a single course of bundle coil around the rim of the basket walls. A single course of bundle coiling also runs around the perimeter of the basket base. Type __ stablizing stitches are used at either end of the base. A handle composed of root wrapped around two strands of heavy cord (cuttyhunk?) stretches longitudinally across the basket. This handle was added at some point to replace two earlier rim handles (similar to MCR 893.15.1 in this inventory), the remains of which are still visible at each end of the basket.
Material:
Split cedar wood slats. Cedar root stitching. Cherry bark imbrication (dyed black and left in its natural red state). Light coloured imbrications appears to be of corn husk or cat tail leaves.
Decoration:
The long sides of the basket are decorated with a handled (?) ‘V’ form. Black dyed cherry bark forms the outer part of this ‘v’ and bleached corn husk or cat tail leaves form the inner lining of the ‘v’. A single band of beading in red cherry bark runs along the rim coil. The base signature band has many missing stitches so it is difficult to make out the original pattern of the red cherry bark signature.
Both end of the basket are decorated with a truncated diamond form – black on the outside, followed by an inner band of white with the interior fill being red.
Dimensions:
14” x 9 1/4” (35.5 cm. x 23.5 cm.) at rim of basket. Base: 13 1/8"x 7 1/2" (33.5cm. x 19 cm.). Height: 5 3/4" (14.5 cm.)