A certain Indigenous tribe produced extremely beautiful canoes, wooden combs with intricate carvings, and clothing with decorative beads and shells. Almost all of their artifacts show creativity and artist balance. Yet anthropologists state that this tribe did not produce any "art." How can the anthropologist make such a statement and still be accurate in their evaluation?

One distinction can be made between arts and crafts. An art product is viewed primarily as an object of aesthetic contemplation without any functional value. A craft product (e.g., a ceramic ashtray or hand-crafted fishing lures), in contrast, is admired because of the beauty with which it performs some function. A piece of art is original, subtle, and valuable and is associated with the elite of society. A craft tends to follow a formula that permits rapid production. According to this framework, elite culture is produced in a purely aesthetic context and is judged by reference to recognized classics. It is high culture-that is, "serious art." The interpretation of whether this is an art or a craft product might depend on the viewpoint of the observer. In the case of the anthropologists evaluating the products, the view is that since the product has a function, it is best described as a craft product. However, to another viewer, this might be seen as an art product.