This old, burden basket (Kiaha) was created by the Pima/Papago Indians out of desert materials that include saguaro ribs, willow, and agave. These baskets were captured in art/diaries by the first European explorers and are a testament to the resourcefulness of Arizona’s early civilizations. 

The Kiaha construction could support hundreds of pounds and were often used by native women prior to arrival of horses in North America. This basket is the “holy grail” of the Southwest and amazing reminder to the ingenuity of resourcefulness of Arizona's past.