History of Basket Weaving

Due to the organic nature of the materials chosen for basket weaving, it is hard to tell how old the craft really is; however, the oldest baskets are carbon dated, and were probably created between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago. Many indigenous peoples throughout the world use the craft for religious purposes, trade and other practical uses. Artists throughout the world have also perfected this age-old craft.

Materials

Many different peoples incorporate basket weaving into their cultures, and for each different culture, there is a different mix of materials. Reed is one of the more common materials used in basket weaving, as it is versatile and easy to find. Some of the most beautiful Native American baskets come from Californian tribes and are made from willow, yucca, sumac and basket rush.

Notable basket weavers

In 1854, the numerous shipwrecks off the coast of Nantucket prompted the United States to station a vessel, lit by lanterns, to warn other ships of the dangerous shoals. To stave off boredom and loneliness, much of the crew turned to basket weaving and created a style unique to Nantucket. A third-generation basket weaver trained a man named Jose Reyes in the art of Nantucket basket weaving, and this man went on to create the first basket with a lid, which opened up a whole new world of baskets in the form of purses. The Zulu people, who are native to South Africa, make unique, colorful baskets, some of which are now archived in museums.

Baskets come in as wide of a variety as the people who make them. Basket weaving has a storied history dating back thousands of years. Basket weaving is both practical and artistic, so it is certain to survive for many centuries to come.