Peoples of the Mesa Verde Region

Why Are They Called "Basketmakers"?

If people living during this time were the first Pueblo Indians, why do we call them "Basketmakers"?

Pueblo people living in the Mesa Verde region during this time had not yet learned how to make pottery vessels. Instead, they used other kinds of containers, including baskets made of woven plant materials. Although people during the Paleoindian and Archaic periods also made baskets, people during the Basketmaker II period were especially skilled at it. Many beautiful baskets dating from this time have been found on the Colorado Plateau.