Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

Basket: rivercane, storage

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  • This large upright storage basket was made by Lizzie “Nannie” Stamper Youngbird (1903-1967), a Cherokee woman of western North Carolina. The basket is woven from rivercane using the single weave technique. Baskets such as these were made to store domestic goods, from dry foodstuffs to clothing. The natural aeration of the single weave allows the stored goods to remain dry. The dyes used on this basket are from walnut and bloodroot, plants that were boiled with the natural rivercane until the desired color was reached. The design in the basket is the Peace Pipe pattern, with the “pipes” on the diagonal. The lip is marked with bloodroot and walnut stained bands in a linked Chain design. The date of this basket is not known; the date span represents the time the basket maker was active.