ash splint, natural and dyed blue; sweetgrass

This ash splint basket was made using the plaiting technique. The body of the basket is constructed using broad ash splint spokes, with alternating weavers of narrow ash splint that has been dyed blue and small braids of sweetgrass. The lid is constructed in a similar fashion, with broad ash splint spokes and weavers of small sweetgrass braids on the top of the lid. Possibly sweetgrass(?) is wrapped with ash splint along the edge of the lid creating a trim. The top of the lid is also decorated with a fancy looped handle made of ash splint.

The alternating use of the blue dyed ash splint creates a decorative checkered design around the sides of the basket

Name of artist written on the bottom of the basket

Museum documentation

Purchased by Pieter Hovens in 1996 during a field trip