Papago Basket without Lid

ca. 1920 - 1950

6.875" H x 8.75" D 

Hand Coiled with a Golden Tan Field and a Dark Brown Diamond Shape Filled with Lines Design

In Very Good Condition with Some Damage to Rims

Papago baskets are traditional handwoven coiled baskets made by Native American artisans from the Sonoran Desert region in southern Arizona and northern Mexico.

These baskets are renowned for their tight coiling technique, using materials like bear grass, yucca, or willow for the foundation, and often devil's claw (martynia) for dark patterns in designs. They feature intricate geometric motifs, sometimes pictorial elements like animals, clouds, or whirlwinds, and come in various forms such as bowls, jars, trays, or storage containers.

Many Papago/Tohono O'odham baskets include fitted lids, but versions without lids are also common and authentic. These lidless ones are typically open bowls or deeper vessels used historically for carrying, storage, food preparation, or as decorative pieces. They appear frequently in vintage and antique sales.