Northcoast basket with ducks and whale Date Unknown

This basket, now in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, was woven from plant fibers by an anonymous artist from the Northcoast region. Its decoration gives us insight into the ways that art reflects the social and cultural conditions of its time. Here, the woven figures of ducks and a whale tell us something about the natural environment and perhaps also the diet and economy of the people who produced it. But beyond this, such objects also offer insight into the way that local knowledge is shared, and cultural identities are formed. Because the artist is unknown and the date of creation is uncertain, understanding this basket as a historical object depends on a combination of approaches. The formal qualities of the weaving, the materials used, and the motifs depicted can all be compared to other known examples. We might also look to anthropological studies of basketry traditions or consult with experts in Native American art history.