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Article: Nantucket baskets convey images of heritage; Wampanoag weaving craft much-sought by collectors.
- Article from:
- Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA)
- Article date:
- October 21, 2007
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Worcester Telegram & Gazette. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Stuart Brody
Nantucket, the picturesque and historic island off the coast of Massachusetts, now a popular resort, was an important whaling center during the 18th and 19th centuries. Yet, for some folks, the word Nantucket conjures up images of artfully crafted baskets.
Basket making was one of the many skills the Wampanoag Indians taught to the first white settlers who arrived on Nantucket Island in the mid-17th century. These early baskets were made from ash, oak or hickory wood splints and were free-form - that is, shaped without the use of a mold.
The earliest baskets had bottom boards made of plain pine boards nailed together. With ...