Among the collections of the State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation in Sacramento, is a Maidu acorn dough carrier (Fig. 1). A disposable container used by the Konkow Maidu to transport leached acorn dough, it may well be the sole surviving example of its kind collected at the turn of the century. Its complete description in the State catalog (No. MCS-369-3-SP) record reads "Bread Basket. Maidu. 3 x 11 in. Chico (?)." The "basket" was included in the large collection of James McCord Stilson, an avid collector of Indian artifacts who lived in the city of Chico. The entire collection was purchased by the State of California sometime around 1930. Stilson was apparently well acquainted with the Indian people of the local Chico Rancheria, and his collection included artifacts from local Maidu as well as many other western North American groups (Bruce Bernstein, personal communication 1982).

Five stereographic views of Miwok people (Figs. 1-5) made in Sonora, California, during the 1850s are apparently the earliest photographic representations of Sierra Miwok people, and perhaps the earliest such images of any Indian people in northern California. Primarily showing individuals in ceremonial regalia, these photographs provide us with an unparalleled view of California Indians at the end of the Gold Rush period in the Mother Lode region of the Sierra Nevada.

This paper will attempt to bring together available data on the acquisition, manufacture, and use of stereotypical Indian clothing among native Californians. It will briefly describe clothing at the time of contact with non-indigenous peoples and discuss the reasons that caused native people to adopt this new style of dress for public presentations.

This paper is an attempt to clarify some ideas about the materials and techniques used in their construction. Thus, we are not proposing new theories and methods in an area where taxonomic principles already exist. Rather, we are using already existent principles of classification that appear to coincide with Maiduan views of world order.