At Ancient Ways Revealed, we invite you to delve into a variety of categories that reflect our commitment to understanding and preserving the rich heritage of the Southwest. Our content is designed to provide in-depth insights into ancient practices, rituals, and cultural narratives.
Each category serves as a gateway to explore the intricate connections between past and present, offering longform chapters and detailed studies that enrich your knowledge and appreciation of these ancient ways.
Our categories include:
- Ritual Studies: Investigate the significance of rituals in ancient cultures and their relevance today.
- Southwest Archives: Access a wealth of resources documenting the history and traditions of the Southwest region.
- Heritage Insights: Discover the stories and teachings that shape our understanding of heritage.
Join us on this journey of discovery as we reveal the ancient ways that continue to inspire and inform our lives today.
Carrying Traditions: Bags, Baskets and Bundles of the Southwest
Long before anyone spoke of bag manufacturers, the peoples of the Southwest were master makers of containers. Carrying, storing and protecting goods was a daily necessity, and the objects created for it remain some of the most revealing artifacts in regional collections. For a visitor interested in heritage, looking closely at how things were carried opens a surprisingly wide window onto ancient ways of life.
Basketry as the first bag
Woven baskets are among the oldest crafts in the region. The archaeological period known as Basketmaker, which preceded the great pueblo villages, takes its name from the fine coiled and twined baskets found in dry caves and rock shelters. Fibres such as yucca, willow, sumac and grasses were gathered, split and prepared with great care. Burden baskets, often conical and carried with a tumpline across the forehead or chest, allowed people to move harvests, firewood and water containers over long distances.
Woven and hide carriers
Alongside basketry, people made netted bags, woven fibre pouches and, in many communities, containers of tanned hide. Small pouches held personal or ceremonial items, and their decoration with paint, fringe or later glass beads often carried meaning beyond simple ornament. Many of these objects are still made by contemporary artists who keep family and community techniques alive.
What a thoughtful visitor can do
- Look for maker and community information when viewing or buying craftwork, and favour pieces sold directly by artists or through reputable cooperatives.
- Ask before photographing artists, their work or ceremonial settings.
- Remember that some objects are sacred and are not meant for display or sale; respect those boundaries.
- Learn the materials, since understanding fibre, hide and dye helps you appreciate the hours behind each piece.
For practical comfort on your own travels, a light, sturdy day bag with room for water, sun protection and a notebook serves well in Santa Fe's high, dry climate. To go deeper into the history behind traditional containers, browse our Southwest archives or read the related field notes from museum and site visits.
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