Where and when were baskets first developed?

Question

Or is this like the invention of fire and wheel so ancient that knowledge of which society first invented baskets is not known? Anyone else think baskets should rank with the wheel and fire as the big three technological inventions?

Answer 1

The oldest baskets have been found in Egypt, dating to about 10,000 BC.
http://stu.wccnet.org/~cerdly/gdt200/FinalProject/history.html

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 2

You might be right about the theory of baskets being like fire and the wheel.

But another theory is:
Archaeological sites in the Middle East show that weaving techniques were used to make mats and possibly also baskets, circa 8 000 BC. Baskets made with several interwoven techniques were common at 3 000 BC.

Answer 3

The first baskets are a natural extension of the skills learned in making grass mats for bedding. In fact the Jomon culture of ancient Japan have the oldest known pottery in the world and the pots are designed to look like woven grass baskets!