Papago Miniature Bowl Basket

20th Century

.625" H x 1.5" D

Hand Coiled with Tan Field and Dark Brown Center and Stitched Zigzag Rim

In Very Good Condition

Papago is the older term for the Tohono O'odham people (also closely related to the Pima/Akimel O'odham), indigenous to the Sonoran Desert region of southern Arizona and northern Mexico. These miniature baskets are often coiled using materials like beargrass (for the core) and yucca or horsehair (for the stitching/weaving), featuring intricate geometric or pictorial designs such as whirlwinds, mazes, animals, or traditional patterns. Miniatures like this are collectible art pieces, sometimes made as tourist items, jewelry components, or demonstrations of fine weaving skill. These tiny bowls showcase masterful technique, as the tight coiling and stitching require exceptional skill on such a small scale.