Online Catalog
Pomo Acorn Mush Basket
Twined Basket
A mush bowl with much evidence of use including slight burn marks inside and a few minor burn marks on the outside. The bowl is decorated with two bands of half twist alternating red and white rectangles of peeled and unpeeled redbud approx. 1 1/2" below the rim, a non-twist "checkered" band of alternating rows of two redbud stitches about 2/3 down the basket and a second non-twist checkered band just above the shoulder.
1994.25.2
This basket is used to cook acorn mush / soup
This twined acorn mush cooking basket was collected by Wes Adams around 1910 near the west end of Clear Lake in Northern California. Unfortunately, Wes didn't note the name of the maker or the family from whom he bought it. It is somewhat small for a cooking basket, yet exhibits much evidence of use- the telltale small burns from hot rocks being stirred in it to bring the acorn soup to a boil. Wes brought the basket home and gave it a prominent spot in the center of the bookcase behind his desk where it remained for over a century.
Adams Pomo Baskets
Utilitarian
Baskets
Pomo
Native American
Basket, Cooking
Cookware
Cooking Vessels
Food Processing & Preparation T&E
Category 04: Tools & Equipment for Materials
Baskets
Cooking
Native peoples
8 in
11-3/8 in
Hazel
Sedge
Redbud
Intersecting interwoven spokes
Compound binding, plaited or braided finish
Predominantly Closed Twined
Plain Twining
Half Twist Overlay
Non-Twist Overlay
Hazel
Simple: Plain or parallel arrangement
Sedge
Redbud
S Slant (up to left)
Adams' notes indicate that he purchased this basket on the western side of Clear Lake around 1910 from a "family camped there".