Cornhusk Bag

Flat-woven bags are the best known of all the varied forms of basketry produced throughout the Plateau region. Originally used for gathering and storing edible tubers, these bags constituted one of the foremost artistic expressions of women. Eventually, the containers were adapted as women’s handbags, becoming a standardized element of formal dress and an essential part of both traditional attire and personal identity. The superb craftsmanship of this bag is most readily visible in the fineness of the weave. The maker’s artistic vision is revealed in the carefully balanced composition, beautifully variegated coloration of natural and dyed fibers and intricately detailed, spatially complex design.