The 'Moses,' a highly popular basket (currently out of stock).

Egypt has a long tradition of arts & crafts ranging from cotton weaving and tent making to papyruses and here at the Temple of Bast we highlight our basket weaving as the 'art' it is. The ancient Egyptian 'hemut' is translated as 'art' in some contexts, 'craft' in others. The hemutyu 'people employed in hemut' are always men, in surviving written and pictorial sources. Basketry is one of the most ancient crafts. The raw materials were widely available - papyrus grasses, above all the tough halfa varieties, sedges, reeds, stalks such as flax, twigs, leaves, most frequently of the date and dom palms, and occasionally leather.

This Red Persian recommends the Deluxe Cat Bed

The ancient Egyptian name for 'basket' is 'nebet.' The heiroglyph for 'basket' is the image of the outline for a half moon or bowl which approximated the appearance of Egyptian wicker baskets. The heiroglyph was often painted yellow ochres or green to match the color of the plants used to make the baskets. Egyptian baskets were made from bull rushes, palm leaves and grasses. More detailed 'basket' heiroglyphs show horizontal lines or a checkerboard pattern to give the appearance of the weave. The 'nebet' heiroglyph portrays the concept of two words that sounded identical. Neb, "all" and neb, "lord" or "master." The glyph was used interchangable to represent these concepts. A chest found in Tutankhamun's tomb has carvings of 'baskets' representing "all." They are a wish for the pharoah to enjoy "all life and dominion."

All-natural fibers, materials and dyes are used to construct these unique treasures. When artisans use for example flax, the fronds are collected, pulled into strips, naturally dyed and then hung to dry as the basket weavers prepare their materials for construction. The palm fronds have a waxy coating which makes them ideal for the weaving of watertight baskets. The more elaborate designs and intricately- patterned baskets denote the relative wealth and power of the family. An elaborate, medium-sized basket may take 30 days to weave.

Our best seller!
The 'Quttah Aksur - Cat Castle.'
Orders taken!

Item No: 136541 - Bread Baskets, from Temple of Bast. Perfect for flat loaves!
Item no: Item no: 136542 - The all purpose storage basket. Great for storing those precious linens.

Item no: 136543 - The Basket Bowl. Imported from Nubia. A great center-piece for fruit at your festing table.
Item no: 136544 - Assorted colourful hides for your precious cat to nap on.

Item no: 13654 - The Offerings Basket - from the talented artisans at Bast's Temple.
Item no: 136544 - The Crocodile Cat Scratcher from the Lower Laurel, produced at the Temple of Sobek.

Item no: 136546 - The Cat House - produced within the walls of the sacred Temple of Bast.
Item no: 136547 - The Deluxe Cat Day Bed. Spoil your cat with this luxurious finely crafted Day Bed from the Temple of Bast!

(Please note: Item No = Image Number).