Native American Baskets: Ollas or Jars

Basketry was among one of the first craft forms practiced by the Southwest Indian. Used for utilitarian purposes long before pottery, baskets were made to carry not only food but were tightly woven enough to carry water and cook in. The finely woven baskets of the Akimel O’odham (Pima), Tohono O’odham (Papago) and Western Apache are examples of how weavers incorporated beauty into their daily lives.