Technological breakthrough

Basketry, like fire, probably predates the homo sapiens species. Baskets allowed our ancestors to transition from hunting and grazing to hunting and gathering. Basketry is woven into our communal history.

In the 21st century, pine needles baskets no longer serve as cost effective containers. While some of my baskets are coiled tightly enough to hold liquid, others won't hold anything at all. Yet from certain angles, staring into a coiled basket, like looking into an open fire, puts us in touch with our primal selves.

Why make baskets?

The two most important technologies in human history probably predate the homo sapiens species. Fire and basketry. Fire provided protection from predators and expanded access to calories. But it was baskets which allowed our ancestors to transition from hunting and grazing to hunting and gathering. Basketry is woven into our communal history. Staring into a basket, like staring into a fire, puts us in touch with our primal selves.