Very Deep Bowl with Stepped Whirl Design [R]

The name for the Papago Indians comes from the Pima word Papavi-ootam, meaning "Bean People," which was converted to Papago by the Spaniards. The people have, in the last decade, returned to their original name, in their language, Tohono O'odham.

Dyes are not used in their baskets. The materials are used in their natural colors. The foundation is comprised of beargrass and the covering materials are yucca leaves, in a sun-bleached state, and devil's claw for the brown decoration.

Taking two bundles of several strands each of the coiling material and tying them into a knot from which the loose ends extend in four directions is the manner in which the basket is started. Bending one bundle of the loose ends to the left then makes the start and sewing this bundle to the knot starts the coiling. All four bundles are eventually bound around the knot, and then the weaving is underway.

In this basket, devil's claw was used to form a spiral of stepped rows of design. An over-stitch of devil's claw was used as a finishing stitch at the rim.

There is the possibility that the origin of this basket could be Tohono O'odham or Maricopa, given the manner of both materials and construction implemented in it's manufacture, wherein devils claw and willow are used. Further, the basket's starting point is formed in the fashion of a square knot (albeit somewhat rounded in overall form) that is most typical of both of these groups.