Bamboo and Rattan Basketwork

This age old handicraft, one of the world's most ancient crafts, has long been associated with Man, especially in the agricultural society. Its origin resulted from human needs for facilitators in everyday living and since then has been developed and improved one generation after another to render as good a service as possible. Its development has been not only with regard to forms and varieties but has been concerned with appearance and aesthetic value as well. Nowadays we see basketwork in plenty, in secular and non-secular societies, reflecting culture and traditions at all levels, local, regional and national. In Thailand, the earliest evidence of baskets being used is a water basket-carrier called Kra-om or Kru mentioned in the history of the Sukhothai Period. Pra Ruang, who later became the first king of the Sukhothai Kingdom, created it from bamboo and rattan by first weaving them closely and then caulking the