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Woven (roasting?) Basket
Date: Unknown Cultural attribution/provenance: Mission Indian (likely Kumeyaay), Southern California Materials: Plant fiber (juncus, sumac, deer grass) Dimensions (inches): 4.625 (height) x 16.75 (diameter) Institution/Owner: Barona Cultural Center & Museum Key Treatment Steps
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Summary
This basket was treated in close consultation with collections staff at the Barona Cultural Center & Museum as well as members of the Barona Band of Mission Indians Tribal Council. Prior to beginning treatment, UCLA/Getty students had the opportunity to visit the Barona reservation and meet several important community members to discuss collaborative conservation work. We also had the opportunity to learn traditional Kumeyaay basket weaving and fiber processing from Eva Salazar, one of the few remaining traditional basket weavers.
This basket was in good condition overall, with minimal surface dirt and a few areas of stitch loss around the rim of the basket. Dark areas were present within the basket, and these were previously suggested to be scorch marks which would have derived from the basket's original use as a roasting tray. A large part of my treatment involved further investigating these marks in order to confirm their relation to the basket's original use. This was evaluated using infrared reflectance imaging and portable XRF. My research indicated that the dark areas were probably not areas where the basketry material itself had been scorched. Instead, it seemed that these areas may derive from the deposition of plant ash from the materials that were roasted. This confirmation influenced my decision not to attempt to clean these areas, as they may be evidence of original use.
The basket was lightly surface cleaned using a soft brush and dental vaccuum with microattachment. Toned tyvek strips were used to stabilize vulnerable areas around the rim. A small metal pin, probably used to affix a previous auction label, was removed from the side of the basket.
This basket was treated in close consultation with collections staff at the Barona Cultural Center & Museum as well as members of the Barona Band of Mission Indians Tribal Council. Prior to beginning treatment, UCLA/Getty students had the opportunity to visit the Barona reservation and meet several important community members to discuss collaborative conservation work. We also had the opportunity to learn traditional Kumeyaay basket weaving and fiber processing from Eva Salazar, one of the few remaining traditional basket weavers.
This basket was in good condition overall, with minimal surface dirt and a few areas of stitch loss around the rim of the basket. Dark areas were present within the basket, and these were previously suggested to be scorch marks which would have derived from the basket's original use as a roasting tray. A large part of my treatment involved further investigating these marks in order to confirm their relation to the basket's original use. This was evaluated using infrared reflectance imaging and portable XRF. My research indicated that the dark areas were probably not areas where the basketry material itself had been scorched. Instead, it seemed that these areas may derive from the deposition of plant ash from the materials that were roasted. This confirmation influenced my decision not to attempt to clean these areas, as they may be evidence of original use.
The basket was lightly surface cleaned using a soft brush and dental vaccuum with microattachment. Toned tyvek strips were used to stabilize vulnerable areas around the rim. A small metal pin, probably used to affix a previous auction label, was removed from the side of the basket.
Treatment Images
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