Item X 18827 bulbbe | Basket. Gaagudju. Alligator River, Western Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. 1900

Summary

The twined conical basket form is the classic form produced and used traditionally across Arnhem Land. Images of these appear in the oldest rock art sequences in western Arnhem Land. They are still produced by women across Arnhem Land, particularly older women. In the past, these were painted with natural pigments of ochre, pipe clay and charcoal as in this example.

Local Name

bulbbe

Physical Description

A twined conical basket made from pandanus with close weave and decorated with natural pigments. It is with dynamic figures and sections of crosshatching. The multistrand vegetable fibre string handle is attached to the rim at the back of the basket.

Significance

This basket is one of several collected by WB Spencer during his visit to Oenpelli (now Gunbalanya) in the dry season of 1912. He obtained an imprressive aray of pandanus baskets from Gaagudju people camped there, remarking that these were 'the most beautiful things they make'. The imagery painted on this basket is consistent with an image a basket painted at Awunbarrna, a rock art site on the sandstone escarpment of western Arnhem Land.