Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology

Differences between the northern and western Great Basin have long been recognized, based on technological attributes such as lithic procurement networks and distinctive basketry traditions. A detailed look at knotted-net manufacture in the northern and western Great Basin is presented using archaeological samples from Nevada and Oregon museum collections, and drawing upon the ethnographic record to inform our analysis of net types and their uses. Metrics were recorded for 89 nets and net fragments to identify any apparent differences in construction and to investigate whether distinctive patterns in net-making might also distinguish these areas. Recorded metrics do indeed show a statistically significant difference in net construction between the northern and western Great Basin. Direct AMS dates are reported for sixteen of the sampled nets.