Hat Item Number: A3725 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Dome shaped, double-woven, basketry hat with spruce root exterior and red cedar bark warps and liner. The top of the hat is indented with a plaited square of cedar bark, which is outlined with double strand twining in spruce root. The warps are then split and the twining continues, but is much finer. The top rim is outlined with one row of triple strand twining, as is the rim at the bottom of the hat. The hat is decorated with a green dyed rings near the top and bottom of the hat, and a purple dyed ring around the centre. The liner is woven with red cedar bark, except for two decorative rings in spruce root that have been dyed purple--one is near the top and the other the bottom. There are also two rings which flank the hat band that alternate green and the natural light yellow coloured spruce root. The hat band is diagonally plaited.
History Of Use
Dome-shaped double woven hats, like this one, were worn as rain gear. A hat band inside the hat was used to fit the hat to the crown of the head, and to keep the sides of the hat away from the wearer's head - thereby creating an effective rain barrier.
Specific Techniques
Two strand twining was the predominant method used for this hat. In two strand twining one weft (horizontal strand) passes over a warp (vertical strand) and under the next, while the a second strand passes under and then over the next warp. In this manner the wefts are always in opposition to each other. Three strand twining is used on the exterior. This hat is also double woven, which means that an inner and outer hat were woven and attached at their rims. The hat band was diagonally plaited. Checker board plaiting was also used at the top of the hat and it's liner.
Cultural Context
rain hat; basketry
Item History
- Made in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
- Collected in British Columbia, Canada
- Owned by Ross A. Brooks
- Owned by Mabel Orr Brooks before July 20, 1951
- Received from Mabel Orr Brooks (Seller) and Museum Purchase (Funding source) on July 20, 1951
What
- Name
- Hat
- Identification Number
- A3725
- Type of Item
- hat
- Material
- cedar bark, spruce root and dye
- Manufacturing Technique
- twined, split, dyed, plaited and woven
- Overall
- height 14.2 cm, diameter 33.6 cm
Who
- Culture
- Nuu-chah-nulth
- Previous Owner
- Ross A. Brooks and Mabel Orr Brooks
- Received from
- Mabel Orr Brooks (Seller) and Museum Purchase (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
- Collected in
- British Columbia, Canada
When
- Ownership Date
- before July 20, 1951
- Acquisition Date
- on July 20, 1951
Other
- Item Classes
- basketry
- Condition
- good
- Current Location
- Case 10
- Accession Number
- 1865/0002