Tutsi Agaseki or Ibeseke Basket

A crooked little lid-tip and black stripes that wander like they lost the map.

This agaseki or ibeseke basket is Tutsi, from Rwanda, East Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Lidded or open, a basket in this tradition is generally a household vessel, used for carrying, storing or serving food and other everyday goods. Squat, rounded shoulders support a lid that twists up into a bent, curling point. Black bands run in stepped hooks and long dashes around the golden body, some stopping short, some jogging sideways. It is 7 inches high and 3.5 in diameter.

Wandering lines, but the execution is confident.