Tutsi Agaseki or Ibeseke Basket

Tutsi women in Rwanda coil these baskets tight, so tight the stitching disappears into pattern.

This agaseki, or ibeseke, is a lidded container, traditionally used to hold small valued goods and to mark gifts on important occasions. It was woven in the 20th century and stands seven inches tall: a tapered body beneath a tall conical lid that climbs to a slender peak, a short fiber tie at the tip.

The honey-colored plant fiber is banded in stepped, broken lines of black, which give the narrow form a sense of movement.

A quiet object. Quiet is underrated.