Baskets of the 19th and 20th centuries form the heart of the museum's Native American ethnographic collections. Centering on the Far West, they comprise more than 1,800 items, representing Oregon Tribes as well as those from adjacent regions, including Washington, California, the Southwest, Great Basin, British Columbia, and Alaska. The museum's Klamath basketry collection was the focus of a University of Oregon master's project by Klamath Tribal member and former UO Longhouse steward Gordon Bettles. Photographs are by Roger Scott and MNCH staff, who have worked towards the museum's ongoing digitization effort.
Exceptional for its range of forms and designs, the collection also represents a continuous link to archaeological weavings thousands of years old, found in dry caves of the nearby high desert. A small sampling of the baskets is presented here, including information drawn from Bettles’ research.
Images © UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Production of this gallery received generous funding from The Ford Family Foundation.
Cat. #1-9797 Legging
Cat. #1-9797
Legging
Cat. #1-9797 Legging detail
Cat. #1-9797
Legging detail
Cat. #1-12359 Basket made by Carrie Jackson
Cat. #1-12359
Basket made by Carrie Jackson
Cat. #1-12359 Basket detail, made by Carrie Jackson
Cat. #1-12359
Basket detail, made by Carrie Jackson
Cat. #1-15652 Gambling or Winnowing Tray
Cat. #1-15652
Gambling or Winnowing Tray
Cat. #1-15652 Gambling or Winnowing Tray detail
Cat. #1-15652
Gambling or Winnowing Tray detail
Cat. #1-33961 Basket detail, "blackbirds flocking" design
Cat. #1-33961
Basket detail, "blackbirds flocking" design
Cat. #1-15606 Mini conical burden basket
Cat. #1-15606
Mini conical burden basket
Cat. #1-15606 Mini conical burden basket
Cat. #1-15606
Mini conical burden basket
Cat. #L3-2 Basketry Quiver
Cat. #L3-2
Basketry Quiver
Cat. #L3-2 Basketry Quiver Detail
Cat. #L3-2
Basketry Quiver Detail
Cat. #1-5595 Basketry hat, “God’s eye” design
Cat. #1-5595
Basketry hat, “God’s eye” design
Cat. #1-5595 Basketry hat detail, “God’s eye” design
Cat. #1-5595
Basketry hat detail, “God’s eye” design
Cat. #1-9793 “Clam” design basket
Cat. #1-9793
“Clam” design basket
Cat. #1-9793 “Clam” design basket detail
Cat. #1-9793
“Clam” design basket detail
Cat. #1-10564 Flat circular mat
Cat. #1-10564
Flat circular mat
Cat. #1-10564 Flat circular mat
Cat. #1-10564
Flat circular mat
Cat. #1-15600 Basketry hat
Cat. #1-15600
Basketry hat
Cat. #1-15600 Basketry hat detail
Cat. #1-15600
Basketry hat detail
Cat. #1-12689 Fish scoop
Cat. #1-12689
Fish scoop
Cat. #1-12689 Fish scoop detail
Cat. #1-12689
Fish scoop detail
Cat. #1-31299 Basketry hat with lake motif
Cat. #1-31299
Basketry hat with lake motif
Cat. #1-31299 Basketry hat with lake motif detail
Cat. #1-31299
Basketry hat with lake motif detail
Cat. #1-12361 Basket with arrowhead design
Cat. #1-12361
Basket with arrowhead design
Cat. #1-12361 Basket with arrowhead design detail
Cat. #1-12361
Basket with arrowhead design detail
Cat. #1-36979 Gambling or winnowing tray, wocus flower design with clam center
Cat. #1-36979
Gambling or winnowing tray, wocus flower design with clam center
Cat. #1-36979 Gambling or winnowing tray detail, wocus flower design with clam center
Cat. #1-36979
Gambling or winnowing tray detail, wocus flower design with clam center
Cat. #1-12360 Basket with arrowhead design
Cat. #1-12360
Basket with arrowhead design
Cat. #1-12360 Basket with arrowhead design detail
Cat. #1-12360
Basket with arrowhead design detail
