14 



PROCEEDING* OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. XXXV. 



Fig. 9. — Braidwork in carrying zone of 

 burden basket. 



framework, borders, knotwork, and body technic are dependent on it. 

 Its tough, glossy surface is split into delicate filaments to serve as 

 thread for sewing borders, into active elements in weaving, like the 

 " cane " for chair seats, and the carrying parts of baskets. From 

 the study of Malaysian textiles, rattan will never be absent. 



( 'arrying baskt t. — A name borne 

 by a multitude of basket forms in 

 Malaysia. Owing to the hot cli- 

 mate little clothing is worn, so 

 special provision must be made 

 for everything that is borne 

 about — from the siri quid to the 

 heaviest burden — including food 

 and drink, clothing, implements, 

 weapons, and articles of commerce. I^or these, the burden basket 

 must have capacity, strength, carrying parts, comfort, and resting 

 parts. Maxima and minima — the greatest strength and room with 

 the least weight — 

 seem to have been 

 worked out by 

 these primitive en- 

 gineers. The abun- 

 dant use of the tri- 

 angle, the placing 

 of a support where 

 it is immediately 

 needed, and pro 

 t e c t i o n of the 



naked body could not be better looked after. Besides all the technic 

 of ordinary baskets, there must be shoulder, head, and breast bands, 

 backpads, framework, footing, strengthening parts, and stays. In 



weaving the body 

 of the burden bas- 

 ket the woman 

 has this fact of 

 carrying in mind. 

 A few inches be- 

 low the border she 

 makes the technic stronger on both sides of the space where the car- 

 rying band and strengthening parts go around. A wale of stouter 

 material is inserted, the courses are forced closer together, more 

 strands are added in the technic, and half hoops with proper backing 

 are knotted on. In this glossary the space thus guarded and strength- 

 ened is spoken of as the ' ; carrying zone " and the structural parts 

 added, with the burden function in mind as the " cariying parts." 



Fig. 10. — Braidwork loops for carrying band. 



l'n;. 11. Four-strand braid in carrying zone. 



