Baskets, Gourds, Glass (Cestería, Jícaras y Vidrio)
Basketry is one of the most ancient of Mexican crafts. Like other container forms, basketry may be both utilitarian and decorative. All those displayed here are made in the country's major technique: plaiting, formed of interlaced fiber strips. The sewing technique of coiling is common only in the north. The commercial baskets displayed here employ fibers colored with brighter aniline dyes, which have generally replaced natural dyes.
Gourd containers are another traditional form. Domesticated as early as 8,000 BC, the gourd is a natural container. Many are left plain as bowls and utensils, some are used for rattles, while others are decorated for sale. Gourds are also used as a base for painted lacquer. In parts of Oaxaca, gourds are decoratively incised by Mixtec Indians; similar carving is applied to large, hard-shelled seeds in Tabasco and Veracruz. During the 19th century, gourds were carved by prisoners to raise supplemental income for their families.
The medium of glass was introduced to Mexico by the Spanish. Puebla was the initial center, from which it spread to Mexico City and Jalisco, where most Mexican glass is made today. While glass is most common as containers, it is also popular in the form of beads, imported from Europe. Mexican hand-blown glass is noted for its rich variation in color and clarity.
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