Tutsi of Burundi(?) Basket with Lettering

The origin of this most unusual and intriguing basket is something of a conundrum. The conical shape and swirling motifs on the lid suggest that it is the work of the Tutsi of Burundi but the technique is somewhat different from most Tutsi baskets where the "warp" element composed of grasses is always neatly and regularly vertically wrapped around the coiled interior fiber. In this example there are occasional horizontal elements where new grasses introduced and the wrapping is not as precise. Whether this is Tutsi but with a regional technical variation or the work of a different tribe is hard to say. Nevertheless it is an old and extremely rare and attractive piece which we feel quite comfortable dating to the 19th century.