Tutsi Agaseki or Ibeseke Basket

Coiled tight, capped like a witch’s hat, and very tidy.

Tutsi women of Rwanda, East Africa, coiled this agaseki or ibeseke basket in plant fiber in the 20th century. Lidded baskets of this kind are commonly associated with household storage and gifts, and the coiled technique gives the tight, ridged surface. A tall conical lid with a small pointed finial sits over a rounded body. Black zigzag bands run around the body against the natural russet fiber. The color has mellowed to a warm cinnamon.

About 6 inches tall. Small, round, and suspiciously organized.