Work basket or knitting basket of straw and cotton string: British, Orkney

Oval basket of straw with carrying handle, bound with simmints of bent grass: British, Papa Westray, Orkney

Circular basket of straw, bound with manilla twine and string: British, Orkney

Fertility figurine (known as a Paddle doll) consisting of a flat, painted wooden body with the body with a separate string of mud beads intermixed with folded straw (imitating gold ornaments) beads suspeneed at the top as a representation of hair: Ancient Egyptian, Upper Egypt, Thebes, early Middle Kingdom, c.2125 - 1795 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery, with the remains of textile wrapping around the mouth: Ancient Nubian, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1585-1545 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery : Ancient Nubian, excavated Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1585-1545 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery : Ancient Nubian, excavated Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1750-1550 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery : Ancient Nubian, excavated Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1585-1545 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery, with small remains of the netting in which it was originally contained adhering to the outer surface: Ancient Nubian, excavated Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1750-1550 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery, with small remains of the netting in which it was originally contained, adhering to the base and sides : Ancient Nubian, excavated Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1585-1545 BC

Orkney Chair, a chair of Japanese oak with a straw back: Scottish, John Davidson, 1985

One of three plaited straw bracelets: South Africa, Majuba, Zulu, late 19th century

One of three plaited straw bracelets: South Africa, Majuba, Zulu, late 19th century

One of three plaited straw bracelets: South Africa, Majuba, Zulu, late 19th century

Child's bracelet of woven straw with three small bead pendants: South Africa, Zululand, Lower Tugela District, early 20th century

Spear with iron lanceolate head and wooden shaft with decayed hide and plaited straw bands: Africa, Malawi