Gambling Tray

Gambling Tray

Gambling tray. Plain twined. Warp and weft - tule. Design element - tule root. Design pattern - three bands of stacked rhomboids spiraling outward from center; three pairs of diamond shaped figures between spiraling bands. Rim - tule cordage and three alternating bands of tule root and tule encircle basket three stitches from rim. Distinguishing marks - located on one of the diamond shaped figures tip, facing center, there is one weft stitch in place of two; weavers hair stitched in basket.
  • Object: Gambling Tray
  • Artist: Unknown
  • Circa: Early 1900's
  • Dimensions: 17 1/2" diameter 2 1/2" height
  • Culture Area: California
  • Cultural Group: Modoc
  • Cultural Context: One Modoc gambling game uses a basket such as this one along with 4 sticks - two thin ones and two thick ones. The sticks are placed under the over-turned basketry tray and the participants guess the order (arrangment) of the sticks. There are 6 possible arrangements.
  • Donor: Mendocino County Museum
  • Catalog #: 96.153