G-11-165 Maidu bowl. The Maidu are divided into three groups: the Nisenan (Valley), the Konkow (Foothill) and the Sierra (Mountain) Maidu. These peoples spoke mutually unintelligible dialects of the Maidu language, which belongs to the Penutian Super Family of languages. Their traditional territory is in northeastern California just north of Yosemite and bordered on the west by the Sacramento River with Lake Tahoe to the east. These globular coiled bowls are called “Too-too” according to anthropologist and author, Merriam, and were generally used as both work baskets (holding weaving materials tools, etc.) or, in larger examples, for the storage of dry food stuffs.
The handsome design, called “animal tracks”, works particularly well with the shape of this basket. On the inside, the classic Maidu bifurcation of the stitches is quite consistent in this basket. Coiling is to the left using three peeled willow rods (Salix) for the foundation of the coil. The sewing splints are split peeled California redbud (Cercis) for the white and split un-peeled redbud for the red designs.
A handsome little basket. 6"d.. by 3 1/2"h. Circa 1920. $1,495.00