Hopi Third Mesa Wicker Plaques

Hopi Third Mesa wicker plaques are woven for a variety of reasons.  They play an important role in Hopi weddings, are given as gifts and used at most life cycle events.  Small plaques are presented to infants by the katsinam at the baby's first dance, frequently the Bean Dance.  Even though the bright colors used in wicker plaques may be assumed to be of commercial origin, they are not.  Vegetal dyes are used and they fade to mellow colors over decades.  Most of these plaques in this presentation date from the first half of the 20^th century.  Generally they are in very good condition for their age.