It is known that all North American Indian tribes, at some time in their history, made and used baskets. However, the finest and most decorative baskets were made about the middle of the 19th century, in the Northwest, down the Pacific Coast states and into the Southwest through Arizona and New Mexico. In 1935 there were more than five hundred _Pima_ Indians making baskets for their own use. Now there are less than six good weavers on that reservation. Today _Papago_ Indians make some baskets for tourist trade, but not nearly as many as they made a few years ago. The _Hopi_ Indians bring a few baskets to market places, but there are fewer and fewer each year. For example: at the 1964 Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonials, Gallup, New Mexico, there were forty classifications in the basketry competition—baskets were submitted to only twenty-seven classifications. There are some basket weavers among other tribes but for the most part, few tribes today may be called “basket makers.” The influence of other culture groups upon the craft of basket weaving is so great that each year fewer baskets are produced by the regular weavers. The Indian women have learned that they can secure mass produced articles as a substitute for baskets. Only two percent of the types of baskets included in this collection are now being made. It is quite probable that by the year 2000 there will be NO Indian baskets being woven. EARLY BASKETRY _Ozark Mountains of Arkansas_ Very few people are aware that baskets were made by the Ozark “Bluff Dwellers.” A special exhibit in the University of Arkansas Museum, Fayetteville, contains a small basket filled with grasshoppers. The University Museum points out that as long ago as the year 1 A.D., baskets were being made by Indians in the Ozark Area. This provides further evidence of the Indian’s early inhabitance of this country. BASKETS WHICH ARE NO LONGER MADE—AND WHY Case No. 5: These tightly woven baskets made by _Thlinkits_ of Alaska, were woven from spruce tree roots which were split by hand. The baskets were used to hold boiling water for clam cooking. The fibers swelled to such an extent that water could be retained in the basket for as long as five hours. Today this tribe purchases a kettle or bucket for their boiling needs. (See Plate 9c) Case No. 7: These large _Apache_ baskets used for storing grain, were made about 1874. It required as long as three months to produce this type of specimen and since 1914 very few have been made. The twenty-five cent burlap sack has replaced it. (See Plate 6c) Case No. 9: This _Cochiti_ bird cage, made of a yucca plant, has been replaced by metal bird cages. IDEAS COPIED FROM INDIAN BASKETS The Anglo appropriated many Indian basket ideas for his own use: