Baskets and basket making played an important role in ancient history. The word “basket” is derived from the Greek word kophinos, which is a basket woven of plaited branches and twigs.

As early as 4,000 BC, Sumerians used baskets to bury their dead.

The use of baskets is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. Some examples include when Moses was floated down the river in a basket made of bulrushes and when Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the masses with a few loaves of bread and several fish, which were found in a young boy’s basket. It is noted that 12 baskets filled with leftovers were gathered after everyone had eaten their fill.

Additionally, during archaeological digs, basket fragments, which date back some 12,000 years, were found in and around Egyptian and Neanderthal excavation sites.

Practical and giftable
Though it’s impossible to know who made the first basket or what exactly inspired him or her to do so, we do know that necessity is the mother of invention, and baskets—used to store food, water, and personal items—were necessities for early man.

Since basket fragments, as well as pollen, have been found entombed in grave sites that date back thousands of years, it’s easy to assume our ancestors cared about their loved ones the way we care about our loved ones. While baskets were indeed used for everyday purposes, it is entirely possible that baskets were also used to hold gifts, in much the same manner as we use gift baskets today.

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