There are few arts with longer or more global histories than basket weaving. Pre-dating pottery, baskets were useful for Neolithic hunters and gatherers. Over the millennium, woven containers and furniture became important throughout global cultures for spiritual and aesthetic reasons.
Today, basketry is an important and useful cultural practice in many societies. There are countless materials which can be woven into containers of varying size and designs. Basketry artists spend decades refining their craft, but basket weaving is also approachable and satisfying for beginners.
The earliest potential evidence of woven baskets dates back to circa 25,000 BCE. Archeologists discovered Stone Age clay imprints of tightly woven material at the ancient Pavlov site in the Czech Republic. While the exact use of the woven material is unclear, the technology for basketry was clearly known. Other early imprints—and even actual fragments—of baskets have been found at Neolithic sites located in the Middle East and Kenya. Carbon dating has been used to date remaining fragments; however, the decay in natural weaving materials has probably erased evidence of the earliest basketry. Continue reading from My Modern Met
Basic Beginner's Guide to Basket Weaving (Felt Magnet)
Basket Weaving Resources, Techniques and More (Paradise Fibers)
Ideas for Using Natural Materials for Weaving Baskets (Gardening Know How)
A Plethora of Free Basket Weaving Patterns (Basket Makers Catalog)
Instructions for Weaving a Basket with Newspapers (Instructables)
