Page 12 - yukibasketry_kelly1930

428 University of CaUfornia Publications in Am. Arch. and Ethn. [Vol. 24

Repetition of Design Elements
With the exception of hc,rizontally disposed bands, the design may
be repeated at stated intervals around the basket. With the Yuki, the
repetition is from two to eight times, but most units are repeated
either three or four times. There is an equal fondness for the even
and the uneven number of divisions.
Certain tiny, discrete elements, apparently having no connection
with the principal design, are sometimes scattered here and there over
the surface. They may consist of a stray half-inch length, a tiny
cross, or an H-shaped figure, as in plates 120b, 124c.

Gap in Joining of Horizontal Bands

Because of the spiral construction of the basket, horizontal bands
never join completely, but the end of the band is one coil above the
start. An intentional gap or break, as in plate 123d, is frequently left,
however, between the ends of encircling bands. The conventional
explanation for this well-known phenomenon is magico-religious. Be
that as it may, the break occurs 28 times, or in 72 per cent of the
baskets which have horizontal designs and hence might possibly show
the feature.

Desig·n Treatment of the Rim

There is no instance of a composite rim design. 3 In fact, the design
often runs directly to the edge of the basket. This is the case with
the bulk of the vertically disposed designs and with about half of the
various types of dia.g·onal decoration.
On the other hand, the la.st few coils may constitute some sort of
finish. With horizontally placed decoration the basket is usually
:finished with 1-5 rows of solid color or with alternate rows of each
color. In other cases the last row may be of solid color, or it may
consist of sectors of each color.
A pleasing variation is obtained when the red and cream stitches
are alternated as in plate 120d. In such instances the white strand,
for example, instead of catching the foundation between every stitch

3 As with a Chumash specimen figured by Kroeber, A. L., Basket Designs
of the Mission Indians of California, AMNH-AP, 2:0: pl. 6, fig. 2, 1922.