Coiled Basketry Through Time in Ancient Egypt – Late Period
The style once again changes, but only slightly, upon reaching the Late Period. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a small spherical basket and lid from the 25th or 26th Dynasty, Thebes. It measures 5.8 centimeters in height and has a diameter of 6 centimeters. The basket is constructed of dyed and undyed reeds. The majority of the basket is naturally colored with three alternating lines of red and black wrappings at the rim. The rim of the lid also sports an alternating line of red and black wrappings. A twisted strand of fiber protrudes from the top of the conical-shaped lid, possibly having been used as a handle. The style of wrapping is distinctly different from what has been noted previously. The pattern is one tight wrap around the core, one wrap penetrating between the previous two coils, then repeated. Only the colored bands at the rim are excused from this pattern (Artifact 22.3.65a, b).
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