Baskets

A basket is a woven container which is constructed at least partially from stiff fibers. The top is often left open. more...

Historical usage

Wood, bamboo, wheat, other grasses, rushes, twigs, osiers or wicker are often used to make baskets, but they are also made today out of plastic. The first baskets were woven by gatherers to collect fruits, grains, nuts and other edible plant materials to be brought back and eaten, as well as for holding fish by early fishing peoples. A creel is a basket made especially to hold fish.

The kinds of plant life available in a region will affect the choice of material, which in turn influences the weaving technique and texture of the basket. Rattan and other members of the Arecaceae or palm tree family, for instance, require a different method of twisting and braiding to be made into a basket from the thin grasses of temperate regions, as do other plants of the tropics with their characteristic broad leaves (bromeliads, for instance).

Although baskets were traditionally created to serve a utilitarian rather than an aesthetic purpose, the practice of basket making has evolved into an art in its own right. Artistic freedom allows basket makers a wide variety of colors, materials, sizes, patterns and details to choose from.

Archaeological sites in the Middle East show that weaving techniques were used to make mats and possibly also baskets, circa 8 000 BC. Baskets made with several interwoven techniques were common at 3 000 BC.

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