| By :
Craig Chambers
The art of basket weaving is well known by Native Americans. In every tribe, you can see innovation as well as very traditional methods. Throughout the generations, they have shown their talent by creating unique and practical baskets in amazing designs. Basket weaving has a very distinct and unique style that varies from tribe to tribe and is thought of as one of the oldest crafts done by Native Americans. Some baskets from the southwest have been recorded to be 8000 years old by archaeologists. As seen in the various kinds of materials used, the diversity of tribes has given way to very distinct and unique styles. There are also numerous techniques for weaving, shaping the baskets and a number of patterns created. Native Americans in the northeast use pounded ash splints and braided sweet grass in their basket making. For the Cherokee Indians, they make their baskets out of bundled pine needles or river cane wicker. In the southwest, coiled sumac as well as willow wood are the materials of choice. In the northeast, cedar bark spruce root and swamp grass are used. There are many other kinds of materials used but one thing that is very prominent in all areas is the uniqueness of the baskets. Using available materials, distinct styles, shapes and designs are created. They adapted their own weaving styles with new materials, giving way to a new form or style of basket when they were moved to new areas of the country. Because this is a very strong tradition and has been embedded through the generations and passing down of knowledge, the distinct styles from ancient times have been preserved and are still very evident today. Hand crafted Native American baskets are amazing. The craftsmanship and designs are extremely beautiful. The patterns are very distinct to Native American traditions and the materials and colors appeal to the natural properties of the materials. These are extremely beautiful and make wonderful accent pieces for home decor as well as owning a piece of Native American history. The intricate handwork of Native American artisans is stunning. The price of these hand woven baskets is usually quite expensive. It seems that the older the basket, the more costly as seen with most antique items. There are some baskets which are put on display in museums and are not put up for sale. Across America, these Native American museums offer insight to the historical significance and importance these baskets played among Native American people. Many times, these woven works of art have a unique story. Great significance is manifested with each color change or design pattern difference. These historical baskets should be studied and admired for their ability to share secrets of long ago with mankind.
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