File:Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution (1902) (18248815570).jpg

Title: Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution
Identifier: annualreportofbo1902smith (find matches)
Year: 1846 (1840s)
Authors: Smithsonian Institution. Board of Regents; United States National Museum. Report of the U. S. National Museum; Smithsonian Institution. Report of the Secretary
Subjects: Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science
Publisher: Washington : Smithsonian Institution
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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ABOEIGINAL AMERICAN BASKETRY. 289
Text Appearing After Image:
TWILLED WORK IN TWO I.'ULOKS. After W. H. Holmes. from a drawing after Frank H. Cushino-. The surface of the liasket is mosaic in two colors, made up of little square blocks, and bj- their alternation not only sloping and vertical patterns are produced, but the most intricate labyrinth of fretwork. Thert^ is no limit to the pos- sibilities any more than there is to the Italian workman making a tessellated pavement with marble blocks in white and black. As soon as the weaver steps outside of her monotonous checkerwork into the province of wicker, or especially twilled weaving, the possibilities of ornamentation are intinitely nudti))licd. In plain weave, wicker elements are sigmoid or spindle-shaped; on twilled wc^aA- ing, they are oldong rectangles. Passing into the most intricate damask etfects in modern linen weaving, in which materials of one color onl)" have to be used, it will be seen how greatly varied this sort of ornamentation may be made. The elements of wickerwork mosaic are horizontal, but twilled Aveaving, in single elements may be both ver- tical and horizontal in the same piece. The three accompanying figures are from Holmes and show better than words the possi))ilities of the little s(iuares and rectangles for decoration. In tig. D-t in two colors the white work is under two and over one; the weft over one, two, or three and under one; the result being a series of sloping designs of great beauty. Fig. 05 in precisely the same materials shows how ))y \'arying the count the pattern is changed. Fig. IM) is interesting because it exhi))its a widespread type of mat weaving farthest away from loom work. The woman begins at the corner to weave. All the little blocks are rectangles; all stop at the same angle, and the result is a perfect Greek fret in two coloi's. (See Plate 47.) In twined weaving the effect of the single rows is funicular one way and corrugated the other. If the reader will notice any number of twined baskets in plain twined weave, it will at once become apparent that it has its limitations. The Pomo make only bands in it to represent the skin of a snake or some such motive. The Haida and Tlinkit vary the ribbed effect with decorative overlaying or three-strand weft. With the diagonal twined work the case is entirely different. The boldest of spiral designs covering an immense surface are wrought NAT MUS 1902 19

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