Native American cattail mat bag with tumpline

Content Description

Used to carry wood or other heavy items on the back by a tribe on the northwest coast. Made of cattails, shredded cedar, and wool thread. There are 2 pieces of cattail mats. 16 1/2" wide at widest point and 14" at narrowest point, 14 1/4" in depth. To keep cattails in place, there are rows of course twining down the two long ends. These two pieces of cattail are sewn together with braided selvage. The top and bottom are sewn with a special stitch of arrows pointing in one direction. The sides are braided with cedar that run as the warp and are 10 1/2" and 11" long. The tumpline is 17 1/2" long and 1 1/4" wide. The colors are natural, blue, red, and light green. Briefly appraised by Stephanie Craig (Grand Ronde basket weaver), 11/2018: tumpline includes pounded cedar. Weaver might have been Chinook or from the Willamette Valley. On the back there is the weaver's "signature" of special stitches made of dyed cattail.

Acquisition Type

Gift

Restrictions Apply

No