Jan is Curator Emeritus of Ethnography at the SB Museum of Natural History. Chumash baskets have been widely admired since the first days of Spanish exploration. As both functional artifacts and objects of art, they are prized in museum and private collections around the world. Jan Timbrook will present an overview of the cultural context and diverse roles of basketry in the traditional daily life of Chumash peoples of southern California. She will then discuss the characteristics of Chumash basketry – weaving techniques, materials, design layout and patterns – and note the changes in designs, shapes and function that began with European settlement in the late 18th century.