Basket

The Western Apache created baskets for their own use but expanded their production dramatically in response to the burgeoning tourist market at the turn of the 20th century. Known for their exceptional craftsmanship, Apache women produced finely woven baskets with distinctive designs closely related to those of the neighboring Yavapai and Havasupai. Compositions of the three groups often incorporated human figures, animals and plant forms in combination with various geometric elements. While some Apache designs were precisely organized, others were arranged in highly asymmetrical, precariously balanced configurations as seen in this basket. Here, the weaver has placed a number of mysterious figures, evocative of those found in ancient petroglyphs and rock paintings, within encompassing angular motifs that might be interpreted as elements of the desert landscape.