Treasure: Woven Baskets

Baskets have been used in numerous ways for tens of thousands of years. The original purpose of baskets was to provide a mobile container for tools, preserved food, clothing, and any additional items needed to take on long journeys in search of more food or better living conditions. Fortunately, we have advanced beyond those prehistoric needs and can find useful ways of including baskets in our home.

Native North Americans have been master basket makers for centuries. Many natural fibers are used in the crafting of their baskets. Depending on the region, basket weavers today use sagebrush, reeds, bulrush, willow, grasses, bark, roots, and many other materials. Even synthetic materials such as wire, plastic, and fabric are used, depending on the style and function.

In the 1700s and 1800s in the coastal lowlands of South Carolina, planters in the area paid premium prices for enslaved Africans from Senegal to the Ivory Coast who were familiar with rice cultivation. These people, both men and women, were experts at making the “fanning baskets” out of sweetgrass that were used to remove the rice grains from the husks. Pounded grains of raw rice were placed in the fanning baskets and the rice was tossed in the air or dropped from one basket into another. Through this process, the wind blew away the chaff, making the rice ready for processing. Smaller sizes of these baskets are still made today and are used as decorations or as platters. One of the baskets pictured here is from Mary Jane Bennett of Mt. Pleasant, whose family has a long history of basketmaking.

Incorporate antique, vintage, or new baskets as a part of your decor and display them for their intricate beauty. They are practical, too: you can use them to tote clothing to the washer and dryer, to hold your favorite magazines (i.e., atHome), to store treats and breads on the kitchen counter, or whatever works best for you. You’ll love the look and utility of them.