Late Basketmakers

Farming seems to be the key to advancement for the basketmakers. This next stage, the late basketmakers, used pottery and bow and arrow and lived in fair-sized circular houses&emdash;pit dwellings&emdash;which were partly underground.

Around Overton, Nevada, one can still see evidence of these ancient dwellings. The excavations of these reveal plastered walls and floors and usually a small fireplace in the center. About three or four feet of the pit dwelling was underground. The roofs were low domes built of strong poles and covered with willows, rushes, and adobe mud. It is assumed the entrance was through the roof and down some type of ladder.

The pottery shards of kettles and water-jars were of a grayish ware. Bowls were painted with patterns usually of thin black lines, stepped figures and small dots. Also found in caves of the basketmakers are coiled basketry and sandals made of yucca leaves.

Arrowheads replaced the large dart-points found in older basketmaker excavations, so we know the bow and arrow was introduced during the late basketmaker period.

The late basketmakers grew corn, and other grains. These were ground with a stone slab called a metate. Harder foods such as mesquite beans were crushed with a bowl-shaped stone mortar and a stone pestle. These people were meat eaters and awls made of bones were used for sewing and basket making.

Metate on display in museum.

Burial grounds have also been found near Overton. The basketmaker's body was placed on the floor of their pit dwelling and the roof burned and the pit filled up. Personal belongings have been found with the bodies.

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