Abstract

The paper introduces the concept of nested toothed square and of double nested toothed square designs. It presents an overview and examples of the use of these designs by mat and basket weavers from around the world
 

In this paper I present some examples of nested toothed squares as they appear on twill plaited mats and baskets from several cultures around the world. Photographs 1 and 2 present examples. A nested toothed square will be defined as a regularly built up toothed square whose centre is composed of a square number of equally sized and regularly placed toothed squares. As the centre may be considered part of a plane pattern, the notation (p,q,r,s) may be used to represent the respective regular square plane pattern; the centre itself may be designated by t × (p,q,r,s), whereby t is the square number of toothed squares involved. In this way, the nested toothed square may be designated by the notation for a toothed square [x,y,z], being the x substituted by the notation for its centre. In other words, the following notation for a nested toothed square may be used: [t × (p,q,r,s), y, z]. For example, [4 × (1,2,2,3),2,2] represents the toothed square in Figure 1a, observed on a plaited purse from Oaxaca (Mexico) in the author’s collection:

In Table 1 I present the nested toothed squares on twill plaited mats and baskets I had the chance to observe so far.

Class	Country	People	Source
[4 × (1,2,2,3),2,2]	Mexico	[Oaxaca]	pg Mexico City Nov 2000
[4 × (1,2,2,3),14,2]	China		pg Athens (USA) 1997
[4 × (1,2,3,3),2,3]	Thailand		LaPlantz 87
[4 × (3,1,0,3),1,3]	Brazil	[Amazonia]	pg São Paulo [Brazil] Nov 1999
	Cameroon	Bamileke	Gerdes [1] 33, Guidoni 127
[4 × (3,2,3,3),3,3]	USA	Cherokee	Mowat 12
[4 × (3,3,3,3),6,3]	Brazil	[Amazonia]	pg São Paulo [Brazil] Nov 1999
[9 × (1,2,2,3),1,3]	China		pg Athens GA 1997 (see Photo 1)
[9 × (1,2,3,3),2,3]	Angola	Chokwe	Bastin 116
[9 × (3,1,0,3),2,3]	USA	Chitimacha	Mather 82
[9 × (3,1,0,3),4,3]	Cameroon	Bamileke	Gerdes [1] 33, Guidoni 127
[16 × (1,2,2,3),1,2]	Mexico	[Oaxaca]	pg Mexico City July 2001

Sometimes double nested toothed squares may be observed as in the following example from the Brazilian Amazon (Photograph 3 and Figure 3). This double nested toothed square is based on the nested toothed square [4 × (3,1,0,3),1,3] (Figure 2).
 
 
 

Photograph 1: Inner part of a purse from Oaxaca (Mexico) (author’s collection)
 
 

Photograph 2: Circular basket from China (author’s collection)
 
 

Photograph 3: Circular basket from the Brazilian Amazon (author’s collection)

pg: Author’s collection
 
 

References