Part 3 (1/2)

One of the pieces (139544) is sewed, or threaded, rush matting (pl. 16, _d_). The lengths of rush (_Juncus_ _acutus_ var. _phaerocarpus_), which form the warp are pierced at intervals of about 10 cm. by the sewing thread which is a continuous length of cord, probably of _agave_. This sewing element, which serves as the weft, consists of 2-ply Z-twist cord with a medium-to-hard twist. Each single ply is Z-twisted in medium degree. Total size of this well-preserved fragment is about 50 cm. by 21 cm. The one selvage which has been preserved would indicate that the width of the mat at least was set when the worker began the sewing process.

Apparently threaded or sewed matting was not widely used in neighboring areas to the north. Such matting with a decorative selvage was found by Cosgrove in a cave in the Upper Gila region (Cosgrove, 1947, p. 114).

Distributions which he gives are confined to early Pueblo period cultures in the Southwest.[4] The trait was specifically denied for Humboldt Cave (Heizer and Krieger, 1956, p. 58).

[4] He lists Tularosa Cave (Hough, 1914, p. 87, fig. 178) and Segi Canyon (Guernsey, 1931, pl. 58a).

The second fragment of matting (139540) consists of bundles of unspun fibers secured by cord with a simple overhand knot which holds the fiber warp closely together (fig. 2). In this tie-twined matting the wefts are s.p.a.ced at intervals of 3.2 cm., and they consist of 2-ply _agave_ (?) cord with a loose to medium Z-twist, with each single strand S-twisted.

The warp bundles, identified as gra.s.s, are not twisted.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 2. Tie-twined matting technique.]

Although none of the Spanish accounts lists the use of matting by the natives of Baja California, archaeological specimens of both the sewed and tie-twined types have been recovered from caves in the central region of the peninsula from Mulege to Comondu (Ma.s.sey and Tuohy, MS; Ma.s.sey, MS 2). The tie-twined matting also occurs in the extreme south of the peninsula (Ma.s.sey, MS 1). Mats are recorded as part of the household furnis.h.i.+ngs of most southern Californians. Mats of _Juncus_ sp. are noted for the Mountain and Desert Diegueno. The Yuma do not use mats (Drucker, 1937, p. 21).

The use of tie-twined matting appears to be an old trait in the Desert Area and its cultures. It is known throughout the peninsula, where old traits were retained, and also in archaeological collections from various parts of the Great Basin and Southwest. A sampling of the literature reveals the following occurrences: Lovelock Cave (Loud and Harrington, 1929, pp. 56-60); Humboldt Cave (Heizer and Krieger, 1956, p. 57); Danger Cave (Jennings _et_ _al._, 1957, pp. 242-243); Promontory Point (Steward, 1937, p. 29); Hueco Area (Cosgrove, 1947, p. 113; see also p. 114 for various other Southwestern locations); the Guadalupe Mountain area (Ferdon, 1946, pp. 15-16); and portions of Texas (Jackson, 1937, p. 157).

_Netting_

_Hairnets._--Two complete hairnets (139534a and b) and one fragment (139534c) were found on crania in the cave (pl. 16, _a_, _c_). All of these were tied with a single-element square-knot technique (fig. 3).

Cordage is of the 2-ply Z-twist type with each single S-twisted. The cord is probably of agave fiber.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 3. Square-knot technique.]

The two complete hairnets are begun with a center circle of discrete tied yarn. Ten large loops are cast onto this. In the next round, each of the large loops has three loops tied onto it with the continuous cord, making a total of 30 loops for the circ.u.mference of the net (fig. 4). The gauge of the succeeding 15 rows of knots is approximately 2.5 cm.

In order to gather the lower edge of the net for fitting purposes, the cord was doubled and two loops were gathered together and tied with the same square-knot technique (fig. 5).

The third net (c) has eleven loops cast onto the original circle; the technique of tying is the same, but the mesh gauge of 1 to 1.5 cm. is finer.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 4. Method of beginning hairnets and carrying nets.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 5. Detail of lower, fitted edge of hairnet.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 6. Detail of lower, gathered edge of carrying net.]

Among the historic tribes the wearing of hairnets, both plain and decorated, was universal among the women of Baja California. Such usage among southern Californians was denied by all of Drucker's informants (Drucker, 1937, p. 45). There appears to be no mention of them from the adjacent west coast of Mexico, but they are known archaeologically from the Great Basin. Loud and Harrington picture several from Lovelock Cave, but give no description of the knotting technique (1929, pl. 41).

However, in their discussion of knots they mention that the ”mesh knot”

(weaver's knot) was the most common, and the square knot was little used (ibid., pp. 83-87). Actually the nets, as they appear in Loud and Harrington's plate, are very similar to the Baja California specimens in being knotted rather than being made by the more frequently found coil-without-foundation technique.

Hairnets were also worn in ancient Peru. Some hairnets described by Singer from Pachacamac were constructed with square knots, but most of the 29 specimens she describes were made with the sheet-bend (fisherman's) knot (Singer, 1936).

Hairnets of the square-knot construction from Bahia de Los Angeles pose, at the present time, an unanswerable question of origin and extrapeninsular distribution.

_Carrying net._--One fragmentary net (139535a), the original size of which cannot be determined, is similar to the hairnets in construction, but probably was used for carrying. The bag is tied with the same element square knot; the mesh size is approximately 2.4 cm. Both ends of this net, however, are gathered together. The net beginning is a small circular piece of cord. Four loops are cast onto this; the number of working loops is increased to 16 in the next course by the method ill.u.s.trated in figure 4. The square-knot tying begins with the next course.

At the lower end, the meshes are gathered together with a hitch (fig.

6). This may have been put through the loops at what would have been the top of the bag to hold it shut. This would serve as a supplementary tying cord rather than being part of the structure of the net.