UC Merced Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology Title The Neighbor Factor: Basket Designs in Northern and Central California Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3k9988v0 Journal Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology, 9(2) ISSN 0191-3557 Author Washburn, Dorothy K Publication Date 1987-07-01 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 146-173 (1987). The Neighbor Factor: Basket Designs in Northern and Central California DOROTHY K. WASHBURN, Dept. of Anthropology, Univ. of Rochester, River Station, Rochester, NY 14627. X HIS paper is a test of the use of symmetry metries of the two-dimensional plane (pat­ analysis of basket design to measure inter­ terns on flat surfaces), as opposed to those action among northern and central California in three dimensions, such as a crystal. In Indian cultures. Although long-distance trade the plane there are three axial categories: networks and casual exchanges at ceremonies finite, one-dimensional or band designs; and have long been known as vehicles for cultur­ two-dimensional or all-over wallpaper pat­ al interchange, anthropologists have not sys­ terns. In each category there are a finite tematically used criteria other than language number of geometric motion classes, or sym­ for studying affiliations. Differences in lan­ metries, which repeat (superimpose) the guage classically have been used to define parts upon themselves along the line axes or tribal entities, but the subsequent considera­ around the point axis. There are four basic tion of other cultural information within motions which occur singly or in combination these linguistic units has masked the fact in these axial categories: translation; rota­ that much information and actual interaction tion; mirror reflection; and glide reflection. crosses these "unintelligible" boundaries. Thus, for one-dimensional designs there are I suggest that the structure of repeated seven different motion classes, or combina­ patterns, that is, the geometric arrangement tions of the four motions, which repeat the of motifs in a design, can be used to study pattern parts; for two-dimensional patterns interaction and affiliation patterns. The there are 17 different motion classes which medium chosen for this study is basket de­ repeat the pattern parts. sign. I shall show that: (1) consistencies in Examples of the four most frequently oc­ California Indian basket design structures do curring motion classes {pll2, pma2, pmll, not necessarily map out on a one-to-one pmm2) used by California tribes are illus­ basis with linguistically defined tribal trated here schematically in Figures la, 2a, designations; and (2) certain kinds of inter­ 3a, and 4a respectively. Figure la shows action and activity patterns apparently foster how the motion of bifold rotation, pll2, similarities and differences in design repeats the right triangles by rotating each structure. triangle twice around a point until it super­ imposes upon itself. The points of rotation THE METHOD OF are indicated by small ellipses. Figure 2a SYMMETRY ANALYSIS shows how the motion of mirror reflection, While a complete discussion of the indicated by solid lines, is added to a pat­ method of symmetry analysis is available in tern with bifold rotation to produce the Washburn (1977) and Washburn and Crowe pattern class pma2. Figure 3a shows a sche­ (n.d.), the basic principles will be reviewed matic pattern with only mirror reflection here. Symmetry is a geometric property across the vertical planes of reflection (class which describes the equivalence of parts of pmll). Figure 4a shows a schematic pattern a repeated pattern. We shall consider sym­ with mirror reflection across both the ver- [146] THE NEIGHBOR FACTOR 147 » JP JP 9 9 ^r^r^r^rnr^rrT''7r^''T'^ **VW #*VW / #* /'/^ /' /"/^ /'/•*-*'• *0 • '**•' yyyy.^y ^* / yyy yyyyy ^* ^•* .v* ..-.•• ••*/ iv:i ^ b M Fig. 1. Symmetry class pll2. a, schematic drawing; b, Yurok basket hat design (after O'Neale 1932:P1.24). tical and horizontal planes of reflection design production (Washburn 1986). This (class pmm2). Photographs or drawings of paper shows how similarities in design struc­ actual designs on decorated baskets with ture relate to lines of intertribal interaction these symmetries are illustrated in Figures regardless of similarities or differences in lb, 2b, 3b, and 4b respectively. linguistic affiliations. In a number of different studies (des­ THE DATA BASE cribed extensively in Washburn and Crowe n.d.) it has been shown that cultural groups California Indian data were chosen for preferentially use only several of these sym­ this analysis because of the wealth of his­ metry classes to structure designs when they torical and ethnographic information that decorate material objects in their cultural could be used to clarify factors that affect repertoire. Archaeological studies (see dis­ the homogeneity and heterogeneity of design cussion in Washburn and Crowe n.d.) have structure on baskets. Definite homogeneities shown how design structure rather than de­ of design structure were observed on Anasazi sign element studies are more sensitive to ceramics (Washburn 1977), but given that the cultural change over time and space. Prep­ data are prehistoric, it was not possible to aratory to this study, a reanalysis of determine whether these similarities repre­ O'Neale's (1930) data confirmed that pattern sented the work of an ethnic group, dif­ structure is a significant factor in native ferent peoples having a close trading. 148 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY Fig. 2. Symmetry class pma2. a, schematic drawing; b, Yurok basket hat design (after Cat. No. 91, collections of the CaUfomia Academy of Sciences, San Francisco). visiting, and perhaps intermarrying network, design structure) were the two criteria used or some arrangement between these two ex­ by weavers to judge "good" designs, that is, tremes. Clearly, an ethnographic situation designs stated as being traditional and ac­ where other social, political, economic, and ceptable for tribal use. environmental factors were known would en­ Further, since collector demand encour­ able better definition of the factors affect­ aged the Indians to duplicate the old pat­ ing the similarities and differences of design terns, the same design structures were used structures. both for baskets for home use and for those However, examination of archival records made for sale to whites. (The makers and suggested that the basket collections that users, however, could easily distinguish the Kroeber and others made at the turn of the "for sale" baskets because they were further century were heavily affected by large-scale embellished with more colors and added de­ amateur collecting and patron activities sign elements which the Indians felt would (Washburn 1984). In order to determine how appeal to the collectors' Victorian aesthetic these events affected the design system, I tastes.) This preservation of traditional reanalyzed the designs on baskets from the design structures allows us to use post- Yurok, Karok, and Hupa, which were col­ contact baskets for this study. lected by Kroeber (1905) and analyzed by Symmetry analysis of the mark arrange­ O'Neale (1932). Informant commentary ob­ ment of Yurok, Karok, and Hupa designs tained by O'Neale (1930) indicated that mark revealed that these peoples consistently used (i.e., motif) name and mark arrangement (i.e.. symmetries pll2 and pma2, and that these THE NEIGHBOR FACTOR 149 Fig. 3. Symmetiy class pmll. a, schematic drawing; b, Porno basket design (after Barrett 1908:P1. 31, #120). symmetries were used in proportions that sufficient lifeway that led to participation at were not significantly different, so that each other's ceremonials, intermarriage sys­ baskets from any one of the groups are in­ tems, and in other visiting and exchange re­ distinguishable from those of another lationships. These interaction activities (Washburn 1986). along their "riverine" roads apparently The study of the attribute of design provided the conditions which fostered a structure, then, seemed appropriate since unified, homogeneous design system. both the makers agreed on its importance In an effort to more systematically de­ and analysis of its presence revealed highly termine what specific factors/activities are consistent, non-random usage. For the related to the observed consistencies and northwestern California groups this homo­ distributions of design structures, this geneity in design arrangement seems to project was expanded to a comparative study agree with well-known similarities in other of the design structures of native groups in aspects of their material and social culture. northern and central California. The dis­ In other words, these groups shared a self- tributions observed were related to ethno- 150 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNL\ AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY iiiillfil a Fig. 4. Symmetiy class pmm2. a, schematic drawing; b, Northwest CaUfomia Indian basket (after Cat. No. 370-759, collections of the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco). graphic and historical information about two group. The blanks in Figures 5-8 represent kinds of interactions-trade and marriage- the lack of data rather than the absence of which might result in the design structure the practice of decorating baskets. similarities observed. In any study of artifactual material, even The data for this study of basket