Pinaceae Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.

Sitka Spruce

Poliklah - Fiber, Basketry

Use documented by:
Merriam, C. Hart, 1966, Ethnographic Notes on California Indian Tribes, University of California Archaeological Research Facility, Berkeley, page 170

View all documented uses for Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.

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Scientific name: Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.
USDA symbol: PISI (View details at USDA PLANTS site)
Common names: Sitka Spruce
Family: Pinaceae
Family (APG): Pinaceae
Native American Tribe: Poliklah
Use category: Fiber
Use sub-category: Basketry
Notes: Roots used to make baskets. The body material of baskets was spruce roots, which were dug out and cut off in lengths of two and a half to three feet and from one half inch to one inch in diameter. These were at once (while full of sap and soft) split into broad flat bands, and these in turn were subdivided by knife and teeth until the desired size was obtained--a little larger than coarse thread, about like small twine. The vertical rods were hazel. The overlay was bear grass. The design was commonly of black maidenhair fern stem or salmon red strands made by dying the stem bundles of Woodwardia fern with chewed alder bark.

RECRD: 6585 id: 27251

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