This basket comes from Tanzania, Africa. It was handwoven with white and green native materials. It was then adorned with cowry shells. The Native Africans, Maasai, used Cowry shells as money, so sewing them on to a basket was an act of sacrifice. The Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting northern, central, and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The basket is hand made by them. It would be great as a knick-knack holder, as a ring holder or gift box.