National Park Service’s Native American Collections
This exhibit offers a selection of the National Park Service’s Native American collections.
Gathering Stick Tools (ca. 1928-1935)Original Source: National Park Service Death Valley National Park Exhibit
Gathering Stick Tools
The Panamint Shoshone made these sticks to gather plants, most probably for collecting pine nuts. The Shoshone would spend the months preceding winter gathering non-perishable pine nuts, mesquite beans, acorns and various seeds.
Burden Basket (ca. 1928-1945)Original Source: National Park Service Death Valley National Park Exhibit
Burden Basket
This conical gathering basket is twined on a willow rod foundation. The bottom of the basket is reinforced with blue denim and string.
Winnowing Basket (ca. 1928-1935) by Susie WilsonOriginal Source: National Park Service Death Valley National Park Exhibit
Winnowing baskets were used for separating edible grain crops from other plant debris and insects. The maker of this twined basket, Susie Wilson, was born in Death Valley on October 23, 1895. Wilson and her family spent the winter months in the southern part of Death Valley.
Basket (ca. 1928-1945) by Minnie, Wife of BijouOriginal Source: National Park Service Death Valley National Park Exhibit
This basket has glass beads overlaid atop a willow rod structure. Birds and other wildlife are depicted. It was collected by Wilma Ely.
Basket (ca. 1928-1945)Original Source: National Park Service Death Valley National Park Exhibit
This coiled basket is decorated with bow and arrow, tree, and arrowhead motifs. In baskets such as this example, the roots of bulrush plants were used to color the black decorative elements.
Basket (ca. 1928-1945) by Minnie ThompsonOriginal Source: National Park Service Death Valley National Park Exhibit
This coiled basket is marked with rim ticking at its top and diamonds on its base. The willow body of the basket is decorated with arrowheads, diamonds, and vertical triangles. This piece was collected by Wilma Ely.
Basket and Lid (ca. 1928-1945)Original Source: National Park Service Death Valley National Park Exhibit
This coiled basket and lid is decorated with potted trees and arrowhead motifs. Orange quills of the Northern Flicker have been incorporated into the design. Wilma Ely collected this basket.
BasketOriginal Source: National Park Service Eleanor Roosevelt National Historical Site Exhibit
According to Marian Dickerman, this basket was used at the picnic held by the Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt for the King and Queen of England at FDR's Hyde Park retreat, Top Cottage, June 1939.
Projectile Point (1300 – ca. 1850)Original Source: National Park Service Manzanar National Historic Site Exhibit
Projectile Point
Obsidian for projectile points came from sources within an 80-mile radius of Manzanar. The variety of projectile types suggests that the Manzanar site may have been a base camp or village where a variety of subsistence and daily tasks took place.
Navajo RugOriginal Source: National Park Servie Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site Exhibit
SpatulaOriginal Source: National Park Service John Muir National Historic Site Exhibit
This spatula, incised with whale eye and flipper motifs, was used to whip soap berries into a froth. It was collected by John Muir on one of his trips to Alaska.
Basket (Early 1900s)Original Source: National Park Service John Muir National Historic Site Exhibit
Portrait of Bitagu-Lichi-Bitzi (1910) by Elbridge Ayer BurbankOriginal Source: National Park Service Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site Exhibit
Portrait of Bitagu-Lichi-Bitzi
Bitagu-Lichi-Bitzi is the daughter of Daghaal’chíí (Red Mustache) from Kinlichee. She was Tonto’s wife and daughter-in-law to Dahaana Nééz Slivers (Hastin Nez).
Portrait of Hastin-Nez (1910) by Elbridge Ayer BurbankOriginal Source: National Park Service Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site Exhibit
Portrait of Hastin-Nez
Mr. Slivers was the chief cook for the Hubbell family for many years. Later when Hastin-Nez became blind, his children led him to work at Hubbell Trading Post. In 1864, Dahaana Nééz carried his two year old brother to Fort Sumner on the Long Walk.
The Bull Pen by Elbridge Ayer BurbankNational Park Service, Museum Management Program
Bull Pen
Burbank painted this “Bull-Pen” view of the Hubbell Trading Post at Ganado showing Navajo people visiting and buying food during the winter of 1908. The white haired Anglo man behind the counter could be J.L. Hubbell.
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