Photo Gallery

The environment of the past and present. - Flora: yucca

A basket made using the coiling technique, of yucca fibers and decorated with geometric designs in red, green and yellow; the pigments were derived from minerals and plants. When the basket was discovered, it contained 48 ears of corn. Its shape is designed to facilitate transport. Height: 24 inches. Painted Cave, Lukachukai Mountains (Arizona), Anasazi Culture, AFM.
AFM = Amerind Foundation Museum, Dragoon (Arizona)

Bracelet made of yucca fiber and set with more than 100 turquoise pieces. Length: 4 inches. Ceremonial Cave, El Paso (Texas), Basketmaker phase of the Anasazi Culture, ASM.
ASM = Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson (Arizona)

Left: Basket woven of yucca fiber, found in a kiva at Mug House, Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado), Anasazi Culture, MVM. Right: Yucca fiber, best suited for items that would get rough use such as baskets and sandals.
MVM = Mesa Verde National Park Museum (Colorado)

Wooden comb with 10 teeth, made of sharpened willow rods and yucca fiber. Length: 5.8 inches. Shiprock, west of Aztec (New Mexico), Anasazi Culture, CCP.
CCP = Museum Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Chaco Canyon (New Mexico)

Grooved hammer of gray porphyry; the wooden handle is held together with yucca fiber. Length: 13.4 inches. Mug House, Mesa Verde (Colorado), MVM.
MVM = Mesa Verde National Park Museum (Colorado)

A coiled basket with black geometric pattern. Diameter: 8.4 inches, Sinagua Culture, MNA.
MNA = Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff (Arizona)

Water jug (olla), with incised lines typical of the black-an-white pottery of Mesa Verde. The thongs fastened around it are of yucca for ease of canying. Diameter: 14.4 inches. Wetherill Mesa, Mesa Verde, MVM.
MVM = Mesa Verde National Park Museum (Colorado)