Vintage Navajo Ceremonial Basket

The Vintage Navajo Ceremonial Basket forms part of The Arc's Found & Vintage collection of discovered treasures. The creation of this basket is a rich tradition in Navajo culture, and there are many interpretations on what each ring of the basket represents. 

Baskets such as this were created specifically to be used during special events such as healing ceremonies and weddings. There is an open pathway from the center to the periphery between the rings. Navajo basket-weavers refer to this opening in the basket’s design as “the way out.” I

t represents both the Navajo people’s exit from one world and reemergence to the next, as well as the ever-forward progression of individual human thought. In ceremonial practice, the gap in the basket’s design is always oriented to the east, the direction of sunrise, new beginnings and new life.

• 13" diameter
• Sourced from a Museum Collection
• 1960s
  
• Pristine museum condition, no visible fading
• Due to the delicate nature, all vintage is final sale.