Abstract
Plant materials used in the production of traditional Cahuilla baskets from the historic period in San Diego and Riverside Counties in southern California were examined in order to relate their processing and morphology to their behavior in completed baskets. Details on the harvesting, processing, and weaving techniques for these plant materials, obtained from a traditional Cahuilla weaver and teacher, are included. The plants selected for examination are chaparral yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei Torr.), deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens (Benth) Hitchc.), juncus (Juncus textilis Buchenau), sumac (Rhus trilobata Nutt.), and palm (Washingtonia filiferia (Linden ex André) H. Wendl.). Physical descriptions of the processed fibers are provided, along with photomicrographs of surface and cross sections. Five Cahuilla baskets from the collections of the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum were selected for a detailed study of their construction techniques, including direct comparison of their construction materials to the reference fiber set. Results of nondestructive x-radiography of the baskets provided additional information about materials and coiling.
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