Page 24 - yukibasketry_kelly1930

440 University of CaUfornia PubUcations in .Am. A.rah. and Ethn. [Vol. 24

Furthermore, if the mortar baskets were merely worn-out specimens,
it is remarkable that worn-out coiled baskets were not put to similar
use. Yet the fact is that, when the bottom of a coiled receptacle wore
out, the Yuki generally replaced it with a patch of twined ware
(pl. 122!) or a new coiled bottom. To be sure, one of the two bottom-
less coiled specimens in the collection is said to have served originally
as a parching basket used subsequently with a pounding slab, i.e.,
after the wearing out of the bottom. But this seems to be exceptional,
and, at least with twined ware, the ordinary basket sifter is totally
unsuited for service as a hopper.

Kinds of Twine

Most of the Yuki ware is simple, 2-strand twine, but there are
examples of 3-strand and even of lattice twine. There are one or two
instances of double warps, but no cases of diagonal twine or of
wrapped twine.
The seed beaters and sifters are of simple twine. The former have
stem warps and flat wefts. The handle consists of a bunch of small
twigs or stems thrust through the body of the beater, bent back upon
itself, and tied. The only sifter not made entirely of simple twine is
the one mentioned above. It has a single row of lattice twine, by
means of which a willow hoop is attached about the upper outside rim.
The small conical leaching· basket is the only specimen made
entirely in 3-strand technique. This basket (pl. 126c) is.further note-
worthy as the only case in which the weft elements are not flat or
splint-like. The bottom is closed work, but the sides are open with
parallel, not crossed, warps. There are no instances of diagonal warps.
One of the two burden baskets is simple twine; the other starts
with 3-strand, changes to plain twine for two rows, then reverts to
3-strand for four rows. The balance is plain twine until the last row,
which is again 3-strand.
Four of the six hoppers are predominantly 2-strand but with one
or two rows · of 3-strand near the bottom, just above the characteristic
willow hoop (pl. 125g). The 3-strand technique may be employed for
a few rows again halfway up the side, and, more rarely, again at the
top. The function of the 3-strand technique seems to be fundamentally
one of strengthening, with a secondary use as decoration. The intro-
duction of a few courses of 3-strand with its characteristic ridge