Diné Very Large Ceremonial Basket [SOLD]

Navajo Ceremonial baskets, commonly called Wedding Baskets, are constructed with a rod foundation of willow or sumac. The background or light color in the basket is natural sumac. The black and red are dyed. The black dye is derived from sumac leaves, twigs and berries crushed and boiled with a powder made from melted piñon and roasted ocher. The red comes from boiled mountain mahogany roots to which are added ashes of twigs of juniper and powdered bark of black alder.

The design involves a plain center, an area above that consisting of a repeated series of stepped black elements which join a series of stepped red bands, above which is another series of black stepped elements. Finally, the outer area is again plain to the braided rim. An opening, or ceremonial break, penetrates the black and red designs and always extends to the end of the braided rim. One very simple interpretation is that the inner black steps represent the underworld, the red band is the earth and life, and the outer black steps stand for the upper world. The center spot in the basket represents the beginning of this earth as the Navajo emerged.

The weaver of this basket diverted from making a standard Navajo ceremonial basket.  The inner design of a traditional ceremonial basket, as described above, was eliminated to make space for the nine Yei figures she planned for that area.  The outer design of a ceremonial basket was retained for the area near the rim.

Traditional Navajo baskets used for ceremonial purposes rarely excel 12 inches in diameter.  This basket, at a diameter over 28 inches, was not made for traditional Navajo use but was most certainly made to be sold.

Condition: this Diné Very Large Ceremonial Basket is in original excellent condition.

Provenance: from the personal collection of Joseph Lonewolf of Santa Clara Pueblo

Recommended Reading:  Navajo Ceremonial Baskets: Sacred Symbols Sacred Space by Georgiana Simpson