 | Basket: Encyclopedia - Basket
Basket
A basket is a woven container which is constructed at least partially from stiff fibers. The top is often left open.
Basket - 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.
The carrying of a basket on ones head, particularly by rural women, has long been practiced. Representations of this in Ancient Greek art are called Canephorae.
Basket weaving, Canephorae, Weaving
Basket - Modern usage
In modern usage, baskets are chosen chiefly for decorative purposes.
Hot air balloons are commonly equipped with baskets for holding people.
Easter baskets are used to collect or hold treats for Easter. These baskets are normally made of plastic. Frequently they are fake, with a weave-like pattern merely imprinted on a non-woven container.
Gift baskets are used to present items such as fruit, wine, and flowers.
As a demonstration of contortionism, a basket containing a human may be repeatedly pierced with swords. The human survives through skill in avoiding the swords.
Basket - Figurative and literary usage
The handbasket, a type of small basket, is strongly associated with going to Hell. It is the vehicle which transports the soul.
Basket - Gallery of baskets
The wicker basket of a hot air balloon. The balloon is taking off
A hot air balloon in flight, showing the wickerwork passenger basket
A wicker balloon basket holding 16 passengers
Basket stall, Frankfurt, Germany
See also
- Basket weaving
- Canephorae
- Weaving
Category: Containers
Other related archives3 000 BC, 8 000 BC, Ancient Greek art, Arecaceae, Basket weaving, Canephorae, Containers, Easter, Hell, Hot air balloons, Rattan, Weaving, Wood, art, bamboo, bromeliads, contortionism, creel, fish, fishing, flowers, fruit, fruits, grains, grasses, materials, nuts, osiers, palm tree, plastic, rushes, soul, swords, twigs, wheat, wicker, wine
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Basket", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
