Vintage Native American Navajo Made Pitch Basket

This older Navajo pitch basket with braided horsehair handles was created by Betsie Benally. It is a beautiful example of a purely Navajo craft. The Navajo started dipping their baskets in hot pitch in order to make them waterproof. By doing this they could make bigger baskets and carry more water, much lighter than using pottery for that task. The Navajo still dip their baskets and handmade pottery in hot pitch. This basket has some damage on the inside at the rim. It seems to be a spot where the pitch was repelled by dirt in the basketry.