Alfred Louis Kroeber fu un importante antropologo culturale americano il cui lavoro si addentrò profondamente nelle complessità delle culture indigene americane. Promosse una meticolosa ricerca sul campo e una documentazione dettagliata, cercando di preservare il ricco arazzo di tradizioni, lingue e strutture sociali di queste società. L'approccio di Kroeber enfatizzò la comprensione dei modelli culturali e dello sviluppo storico con rigore scientifico. I suoi contributi fondamentali plasmarono in modo significativo la traiettoria degli studi antropologici.
The author was sent in 1899 to study the Southern Arapaho in western Indian Territory (present Oklahoma). In 1900 he lived in the camp of the Northern Arapaho in Wyoming, and in 1901 he visited the Gros Ventre, a related tribe, in Montana. This book touches upon nearly every imaginable facet of the Indians' culture.
This book is a fascinating look at the basketry designs used by the Mission Indians of California in the early 1900s. The author, a prominent anthropologist, provides a detailed description of the different types of baskets used by the tribes and the techniques used in making them. The book is illustrated with detailed drawings of the baskets and is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Native American culture.