Mat

Mats made from inner cedar bark served a variety of uses such as; dividers for privacy, eating, sleeping, keeping out drafts, protection of canoe cargo, drying berries, covering food boxes, gambling on, given as gifts. Some women gave birth on a clean mat and bodies of the deceased would be wrapped in a mat and then placed in a mortuary box. Mats were used ceremonially by all Northwest Coast people with some variations.

domestic

Woven in simple plaiting, warps on 2 ends folded over and secured with row of twining.

Large woven mat with eight vertical bands of thick and thin dark brown stripes; stripes are woven with a checkered effect. End edges folded over and secured.