Indian Jewelry of the Prehistoric Southwest

INDIAN JEWELRY of the Prehistoric Southwest INDIAN JEWELRY OF THE PREHISTORIC SOUTHWEST

A new and important source book has just been released by the University Press at Tucson titled “INDIAN JEWELRY OF THE PREHISTORIC SOUTHWEST,” authored by Nancy S. Hammack with all color photographs by Jerry D. Jacka. In view of the ever-increasing popularity of Southwestern Indian jewelry, it stands to reason that the interest in contemporary Indian jewelry should result in a desire to know something of its history. Many publications presently available deal to some extent in various stages of Indian jewelry, including its history during “historic times.” There is, however, very little, if any, information available which explains or describes in layman's terms the actual beginning of Southwestern Indian jewelry its prehistoric origin. This, then, is what the “Indian Jewelry of the Prehistoric Southwest” is all about.

This book presents to the reader the various styles of Indian jewelry made and material utilized in its making during prehistoric times. The major prehistoric cultures of the Southwest, the Hohokam, Mogollon, Anasazi, Sinagua and Salado, are identified with the various types of jewelry which they manufactured and wore. The book discusses prehistoric trading and its effect on the use of Indian jewelry. It also describes the various techniques and styles used in the manufacture of this jewelry. Color photographs representing nearly all known styles of prehistoric jewelry appear in this work. Among the styles featured are the use of turquoise and stone mosaic overlay on shell and bone. Many examples of the highly stylized and exquisite carved, etched and cut shell jewelry of the Ancient Hohokam Indians are also featured. Thousands of tiny, but perfectly hand crafted beads of turquoise, shell, bone and stone are shown throughout the book. These beads are the forerunner of the heishi beads which are so popular in today's Indian jewelry. In combining the text and photographs, this document represents a capsulized, but highly informative accounting of the beginning of Indian jewelry as we know it today. The person who has read this book should have a greater understanding and appreciation, not only for the prehistoric artisans who began this craft centuries ago, but also for the modern craftsman who continues in the tradition of his ancestors.

ÁRIZONA BASKETRY from page 5

"Although some of the specimens may be as early as the first centuries of the Christian Era, it is my belief that most of them will date considerably later, or from around A.D. 800 to A.D. 1400."11 Adolf F. Bandelier, "Contributions to the History of the Southwestern portion of the United States" (Papers, Archaeological Institute of America, American Series No. V, Cambridge, 1890), p. 12.

Ibid., p. 127.

Haury, Emil W. "The Excavations of Los Muertos and Neighboring Ruins in the Salt River Valley," Papers of the Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Vol. XXIV; No. 1, 1945. Harvard University. Pp. 170-171.

Fewkes, J. Walter, "Excavations at Casa Grande, Arizona, in 190607," Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collection; Quarterly Issue, Vol. 50, 1907, p. 305.

Gladwin, H. S., Haury, E. W., Sayles, E. B., Gladwin, N. Excavations at Snaketown, material culture, Medallion Papers 25, Globe, Arizona, Gila Pueblo, 1937.

6 "The Sobaipuri Indians of the Upper San Pedro River Valley, South-ern Arizona," Amerind Foundation, Inc., Dragoon, Arizona, Paper No. 6, p. 179.

7 Ibid., p. 180.

8 "The Upper Pima of San Cayetano del Tumacacori," Amerind Foundation, Paper No. 7, p. 412.

9 Haury, Emil W. et al. "The Stratigraphy and Archaeology of Ventana Cave," 1950; The Universities of Arizona and New Mexico.

10 Ibid.

11 Ibid., p. 411.

The many references to Papago basketry will make it obvious to the reader that there is a great similarity between the basketry of the Pima and that of their neighbors to the south, the Papago. Old Papago basketry is very often called Pima and vice versa. There is no positive way of distinguishing between the two in every case. If split willow is used in both it is almost impossible to differentiate unless the bundle foundation can be seen. The Papago were less likely to use cattail stem as it was not as abundant on the southern desert as yucca and bear grass. The design elements were made of martynia by both people, but the Papago weavers tended to use more martynia than the Pima, as willow was not as plentiful. This is one of the best diagnostic traits we can use. If the over all pattern is made up of more black than tan color the basket is likely to be of Papago manufacture, but this is not a hard and fast rule. Designs are very similar and are not different enough to be a positive identifying point. Modern soft-weave Papago baskets of yucca are easily distinguished by their soft green color and the difference in appearance of yucca and willow. They are strictly for tourists consumption and are today turned out by the hundreds. They are a far cry from the fine old Papago basketry made a few decades past.

Superficially Western Apache coiled baskets resemble Pima in shape and design, but a look at the foundation tells the difference immediately. Western Apache foundation construction is three-rod arranged in a triangle. This makes each coil stand out separately and they do not have the smooth unindented appearance so typical of Pima work.

The Chemehuevi of the Colorado River area in ArizonaCalifornia made coiled baskets every bit as good as did the Pima, and the Yavapai produced equally fine basketry. Both of these people used a three-rod foundation in weaving baskets, and they are as easy to distinguish from Pima basketry as is Apache work.

The Hopi women of Second Mesa also make coiled baskets and flat plaques; and the Havasupai, hidden in beautiful Cataract Canyon, formerly produced excellent coiled work. The coiled deep baskets and plaques of the Hopi are completely distinctive. The construction is of very large coils threeeighths to one-half inch in diameter, with styled kachina figures the usual decorative motif woven from dyed black, red and yellow fiber.

The Maricopa, who now live primarily on the Fort McDowell reservation near Scottsdale, Arizona, also make a coiled basket that superficially resembles a Pima basket in shape and size but is frequently undecorated except for a pinkish paint that is rubbed on the surface after the basket is completed. Many of the anthropological museums in the West feature permanent displays of Indian basketry, and any interested collector is always welcome to study the many examples that are kept stored. It has been interesting to hear from the volunteer guides at the Heard Museum that the school children show a great deal of interest in the basketry exhibits from many parts of North America. The kids are always reminded that here is a true handcraft and that there has never been a machine built that will make a basket!

Where does the handicraft of Pima Indian basketry stand today? The reader has probably been able to infer a good deal from the many references to "Old Pima baskets" that the art is definitely on the wane and almost inevitably will die out entirely within the next two decades unless something can be done to revive interest, among the Pima weavers.

In spite of the low average family income the Pima do have access to all the commodities that the white man produces. Their actual need for baskets as working tools is now no greater than our own.

Another reason that basketry is on the decline seems to be the complete lethargy and indifference on the part of the younger women and still younger girls. There is very little of the "old way of life" left on the reservation today, and with the loss of the old arts and crafts the children and young women simply do not see any fine old baskets anymore.

Basket weaving is tedious work and the constant handling of damp materials is hard on the hands. At least four elderly women interviewed had given up weaving entirely because of arthritic fingers and rheumatism in the hands. Others find the gathering of materials too difficult and time consuming. Cattail is at a premium, as none grows wild on the reservation. Unlike the Papago, the Pima have never formed an Arts and Crafts Board of their own and there is no organized outlet for their product. Fine baskets take many hours of hard work in preparing materials and in the actual weaving. It is doubtful if more than fifty baskets a year are now being woven. Several excellent weavers still produce, but most of the baskets today are definitely second rate when compared to those made twenty years ago. There seems to be very little enthusiasm about trying to revive interest among the Pima. This is very unfortunate because inevitably fine baskets will again be in demand. The widespread interest that many people had forty years ago led to the establishment of some very fine private collections selected from the cream of the crop then being produced. Today that is impossible because in almost all basketry weaving areas it is either a dead or dying art. The increasingly widespread interest in primitive art will one day make people conscious of the true beauty to be found in American Indian basketry. Then the valuable basket of today will become "priceless" and museums will be in the fortunate position of being able to display the best examples of a people's lost heritage. Prominently featured in such an exhibit will be many examples of fine old Pima baskets.

Distinguished Contributors

H. Thomas Cain is Curator of Anthropology for the Heard Museum in Phoenix. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington, majoring in anthropology, and his Master's degree at the University of Arizona. Mr. Cain spent two years at Harvard University, specializing in archaeology, and has done field work in many parts of the continent, including Alaska. His publications include "Petroglyphs of Central Washington"; "Santos, Record of a Way of Life Now Gone," and "Pima Indian Basketry."

Jerold Collings' background qualifies him as a prime authority on Indian baskets. Born on the California side of the Colorado River, near Parker, Arizona, young Collings was taught the art of Indian basketry by Chemehuevi Indians before he was twelve years old. Since then he has continued to apprentice with weavers from almost every tribe in the Southwest. A graduate in Anthropology, California State College at Long Beach, Collings is Director of the Gila River Indian Arts and Crafts Center, on the Reservation, Sacaton, Arizona. A discriminating collector himself, Jerold Collings has judged many major Indian Arts and Crafts Shows, and is highly respected by Indian craftsmen, peers in his profession, and collectors.

NAVAJO MAID

Oil by William Whitaker Human figures and stylized animal forms have appeared as expressions of primitive peoples since the first artists scribed on cavern walls. The impressive olla, left, woven of yucca and martynia, displays a design of the coyote and track marks.

Opposite page, far left: Ancient and traditional basketry designs complement the turquoise and silver adornment becoming more popular with fashion coordinators.

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