Basket

Object/Artifact

Vermont Historical Society

Name/Title

Basket

Entry/Object ID

2017.3.4

Description

Long, rectangular basket woven from thin wooden splints. The splints are narrow and the top and bottom of the basket, with two wide splits running along the center. The wide splints are painted with an alternating pattern of a green leaf and a pink and yellow arch.

Context

Made in Cambridge, Vermont

Acquisition

Accession

2017.3

Source or Donor

Wiseman, Frederick M.

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of Frederick M. Wiseman

Made/Created

Date made

1840 - 1860

Place

Town

Cambridge

County

Lamoille County

State/Province

Vermont

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Ethnography

Culture/Tribe

Abenaki

Native American

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Basket

Nomenclature Class

Containers

Nomenclature Category

Category 07: Distribution & Transportation Objects

Material

Wood

Interpretative Labels

Label

Basket, 1840-1860 Abenaki Cambridge, Vermont Ash Gift of Frederick M. Wiseman, #2017.3.4 Vermont Abenaki families from ancient Indigenous communities such as Missisquoi and Koas, as well as from smaller and more dispersed enclaves in the northeastern and southeastern parts of the state, were extremely important to early 19th century Vermont commerce and transportation. Travel in the summer on lakes and rivers took place in locally produced bark canoes, while winter journeys were often made on snowshoes while pulling bentwood toboggans built by Abenaki. Indigenous-made utilitarian and decorative ash splint baskets held everything from produce to bonnets and could be found for sale in many general stores.