The fine art of Basket Weaving
Basket Weaving is one of the oldest and widespread crafts in Human civilization. The oldest known baskets are somewhere between 10,000 and 12,000 years old. They were discovered in Faiyum, Egypt. However, it is purely speculative because the materials that baskets are usually made of, like wood, grass, and animal remains, decay over time.
The materials used to create the basket are oak, hickory, willow, and reed. Reed is most often used because it is more easily available, pliable, and it is sturdy. Plants can also be used to create the baskets; Dog rose, Honeysuckle, and Blackberry briars are some examples.
When building a basket you begin with making the base. It can be woven with reed and it can have a variety of shapes and sizes. The other parts of a basket are the side, the walls, and the rims. A few optional things you can add to your basket are a lid, handle or other extras.
There are 4 groups that baskets can be categorized in, “Coiled”, “Plaiting”, “Twining”, and “Wicker”. The difference between the two groups are the materials that are used. In “Coiled” basketry uses grasses and rushes, “Plaiting” basketry uses palms, yucca, or New Zealand flax, “Twining” basketry uses roots and tree bark, and “Wicker” basketry uses reed, cane, willow, oak, and ash.
Basket weaving is a special art. I always like using baskets as decorations but never thought how they were created in the first place. Your blog is very informative and interesting.
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