NO. 1672. 



A MALAYSIAN TYPE OF BASKET WORK— MASON. 



387 



The technic is from pandanus strips of various widths, in close 

 twill, in three directions, to be spoken of as vertical, dextral, and 

 sinistral; the terms right oblique and left oblique may replace the 

 last two. When the Avork is finished the surface is made up of 

 rhombs or diamond-shape checks, giving the appearance of cubes and 

 six-pointed stars. As before mentioned, the fabric is twice wrought, 

 or two ply, so as to have both the inside and the outside of the 

 basket expose the glossy side of the leaf. 



The technic here detailed is based on Cat. Nos. 2199G3 and 23G282 

 in the U. S. National Museum. The former is in the W. L. Abbott 

 collection from Rumpin River, Pahang, and the latter is from 

 Malacca, sent to the Museum by Mrs. L. E. Bland. 



Fi(i. 1. — Mktuiili iif 



WIO.WIO. 



KKOINNING MAU 



-Method of auuino additional 

 sTKirs. 



Fig. 1 shows how the work is started from the center of the 

 bottom, Avith six prejjared strips, two sinistral, two vertical, and 

 two dextral, crossing at the middle, one of each pair passing over 

 and under one strip in each of the other pairs. This is the foun- 

 dation. 



Fig. 2, a~c, illustrates how strips are next added. A vertical strip 

 («) passes down over two sinistrals, under one dextral and over one 

 dextral. The dextral strip (b) passes upw^ard over one sinistral, 

 under one sinistral, and over two verticals. The sinistral strip (c) 

 passes upward over two dextrals, under two verticals and over one 

 vertical. 



