Eskimo Overlay Seal Gut Basket

ca. 1880

7″ H x 8.125″ D

Hand Coiled with Overlay Seal Gut Dyed Basket with Matching Lid

In Very Good Condition with a Little Weave Missing on Rim

Eskimo Overlay Seal Gut Baskets (more accurately called Yup’ik or Cup’ik coiled grass baskets with seal gut overlay) are traditional handmade artifacts created by Indigenous Yup’ik peoples of southwestern Alaska, particularly from coastal villages like Hooper Bay, Kipnuk, Chevak, and Kwigillingok.

Artists coil these baskets from beach rye grass (wild rye or sea grass), stitching bundles with grass strands for a tight weave. They overlay or imbricate thin strips of cleaned and dried seal intestine (gut) often dyed in vibrant colors like red, blue, black, or green using aniline dyes to create intricate geometric patterns, such as triangles, crosses, diamonds, stars, or vertical bands. The “overlay” technique folds or weaves gut strips over the grass coils for decorative, raised effects that add texture and color contrast. Seal gut is semi-translucent, durable, and naturally waterproof, making it ideal for both utility and artistry.